With Thanksgiving right around the corner, many people are taking time to step back and evaluate their lives. Usually, this is the time when people show appreciation and thanks for all life has brought to them in the previous year. Whether you’re feeling unusually grateful or you feel like you need to remember to count your blessings, there are plenty of practical and heartfelt ways to show you care. From writing out your thoughts to devising a ritual for showing your appreciation, there are a number of options to consider.
Everyone struggles with showing gratitude from time to time. Explore some of these clever and creative ways to show thanks. With a bit of inspiration, you may discover the ideal way to honor the message of Thanksgiving.
Actually Count Your Blessings
One of the first steps is actually taking stock of everything you appreciate in your life. This can be the most involved step, but it also is a very vital part of the process. If it helps, you might want to sit down with a pen and paper and write down everything that comes to your mind. Some of what you feel grateful for is going to be somewhat obvious, like friends, family members, good health, and a consistent job. Other items on the list you may feel surprised to find yourself writing down.
Perhaps you love to play basketball recreationally and happened to beat your own personal record in this past year. While something like this might not seem as noteworthy as other items on your list, it can be important to take time to feel thankful for any personal accomplishments you feel good about. Writing all of these things down can help you fully take stock and see how well your year has stacked up against previous years in your life.
Act on Your Feelings
After you’ve given yourself time to count your blessings, so to speak, you want to start working on how you plan on showing your appreciation. When it comes to showing gratitude to family and friends, there are a few ways to go about the process. For some, the easiest thing to do is open up and talk to people about how you feel. Telling your parents how much you appreciate what they’ve done for you in your life, for example, might be all it takes to make them feel the love they deserve.
Try to consider less conventional methods of showing your thanks. Sometimes, a handwritten note or letter can help to summarize all of the thoughts and feelings you don’t know how to vocalize. If you consider yourself a creative type, then you may even play around with the idea of writing a poem, song, or short story to help illustrate the exact feelings you have about the people who matter most to you in life.
Pay It Forward
Often, the best way to show your gratitude is by paying the feelings forward. The idea is very simple: Do good deeds for others for no other reason than you would like to help them and you want them to also pay it forward through more good deeds. Sometimes, the simple act of doing something nice for a stranger is an excellent way to put good energy out into the universe.
Thanksgiving is a great time to think back on your life and remember all of the blessings you have received. By giving yourself a moment to take stock of all that you appreciate, you are likely to have an easier time showing it in the future and never feel like you are taking anyone or anything in your own life for granted.