Giving Thanks Every Day
It’s that time of year again in the United States when the dog days of summer have passed us by and the merciless heat and humidity transition into the forgiving crisp and cool weather that’s not only more bearable, but also desired.
With summer moving farther away in our rearview mirrors, autumn is coming into full view ahead of us and offers a welcome change. It’s not only filled with the long-awaited events like the fall harvest and the changing colors of the leaves, but also of the longed-for occasions of special yearly holidays that accompany the season.
There is the coming celebration of Halloween that’s filled with costumes, trick or treat and parties, and also marks the liturgical year’s dedication to remembering the dead with All Hallow’ Eve (Halloween night) preceding All Saints’ Day.
Then, of course, there is the also the long-standing, warm and comforting celebration of the Thanksgiving holiday.
A Time For Thanks
The story of the first Thanksgiving is inspirational because of the circumstances that created it, as well as the ideas behind it. In September 1620, the ship ‘Mayflower’ set sail from Plymouth, England, with 102 passengers who were seeking a new place to call home where they could practice their faith freely and without persecution.
The journey across the ocean from the Old World to the New World had been wrought with danger and peril for the crew and passengers of the Mayflower and settling in the New World was rife with its own challenges, too. Sickness and disease took its toll on the Pilgrims after their arrival and only half would survive the winter into the following spring.
Getting established in this new and unfamiliar place required relying on creating relationships with the Indians. Without the help from members of the Abenaki and Wampanoag tribes, the Pilgrims surely wouldn’t have survived the first year.
With their faith in God, their hard work and the assistance and practical teachings of the local Indians, the Pilgrims began to settle in and learn how to utilize the land and its resources to cultivate crops, fish and feed themselves. This made all the difference in the world to their survival.
Appreciation Becomes Tradition
These newly formed alliances and friendships contributed to both their immediate (and future) successes in their settlement. It was due to these relationships that they had formed that they were moving from surviving to thriving – and they knew that they had much to be grateful for in their lives.
After a successful harvest of corn in their first year, the Governor of the Colony (William Bradford) organized a feast and celebration with their new allies from the local Native American tribes. Thus, the opportunity to share in the harvest, gather together and give thanks for all that they had in their lives has now become known as the “first Thanksgiving.”
Although a thanksgiving celebration was held in some form each year thereafter in certain parts of the colonies – and eventually in the growing states of the union, it wouldn’t take on a formal designation until 1863 with Abraham Lincoln making a proclamation to commemorate it. It’s now a holiday that we celebrate annually in November and though it may have evolved into different traditions nationwide, it’s still a significant American holiday rooted in a positive message of being thankful for all that we have, share and love.
What began over four centuries ago with the Pilgrims counting their blessings for their lives in the New World has evolved over time to a tradition still celebrated today. Rather than giving thanks for all that we have in our lives on just one day each year though, I believe there’s an opportunity to do it every day.
Coming from Abundance
The opportunity to give thanks in our lives is something that is available to us daily. It’s not something that’s consigned only to an annual holiday, but rather is accessible to us now – and whenever we think about it.
Through my Coaching, I work with people at all stages of their lives and phases of their careers. One thing we all have in common is that we will get stuck in some way, shape or form throughout our lives.
Perhaps it hasn’t happened to you just yet, but know that it will. When it does happen, you need a way to get unstuck so that you can move forward. One such way is through being thankful.
I can think of many clients I’ve worked with over time and it’s inevitable that they will get stuck on something that is preventing them from moving forward with their personal or professional goals. Once we identify what’s going on, I can utilize tools based in appreciation and gratitude to help them realize what’s going on, apply them to their situation and help them get out of their own way.
I not only see this in my coaching to help people get unstuck, but I see it in my own life, too. There have been many times when I’ve been in a place or state of mind where the obstacles seemed overwhelming and it was going to take more than sheer will and determination to get me unstuck.
After applying some of my own techniques and methods for accessing thankfulness and expressing gratitude, I found myself wriggling out of the quicksand and freeing myself to my utter surprise and delight. It’s simply amazing what being thankful can offer us access to.
If we choose to come from abundance and recognize ALL that we have in our lives that is helpful, good, beneficial and right with it, then it can change our perspective from feeling like we don’t have what we need to get unstuck to having exactly what we need to move forward. It’s the difference between looking at life through the viewpoint of scarcity and shortage, versus the lens of bounty and richness.
From Practice to Habit
So you might wonder, “How do I put this into practice?” What an amazing question - and I’m glad you asked! Here are four simple ideas to help you get started.
Journaling: Whether you write consistently in a journal or are new to it, you can start incorporating an area in your routine for being thankful. For instance, it can be a way to begin your daily entry or a way to close it out, but writing something about gratitude each time will amaze you.
Praying: Based on your faith and belief system, adding a new prayer that reflects your sincere gratefulness for all that you have in your life is an empowering choice. The act of praying is not only a time of reflection or asking for forgiveness, but also for showing appreciation for the people and things in our lives.
Setting Reminders: Use an application on your smart device or computer to schedule a time each day or week to take pause and be grateful for all the blessings in your life. You’ll be surprised when the alert reminds you it’s time for some appreciation – and you’ll come to welcome it when it does.
Meditating: Like prayer, meditation offers us a chance to be still with ourselves and our thoughts. When meditating, there is an amazing opportunity to be aware and yet detached at the same time. During this time, you can focus time on thankfulness and be enlightened by the calm and peace it will bring you.
Again, these are just a few ideas to help you begin the practice of coming from a state of gratitude. The good news is that once you begin a practice and stay with it, it’s only a matter of time until it become habit. They say it takes 30 days to form new habits, so start now and before you know it, you’ll be on your way to having a habit around giving thanks.
For Your Consideration
The benefits of being thankful in our lives for all that we have are numerous and they impact all areas of our lives that include: relationships, health, work and our passions. In terms of our well-being, showing gratitude positively impacts the four dimensions of our health that include the physical, mental, spiritual and emotional.
When you think about giving thanks in your life, there are many things to consider. To help you focus on it a bit more, I have some parting questions for you to ponder. These are designed to aid you in your growth and development in terms of understanding the role that gratitude plays in your life.
What role does gratitude play in your life in terms of your personal and professional relationships?
How likely are you to open up to those around you to let them know how much you appreciate having them in your life?
If you do share your appreciation for those important friends, family members, teammates or coworkers in your life, how often do you do it? Is that enough, or is there an opportunity to improve?
When it comes to being thankful for all that you have in this world, how do you practice showing gratitude?
Thank You
At ACTIV365 we genuinely value the relationships we create with all of our customers and clients and do our utmost to sincerely thank them for their role in making our organization not only what it is now, but what it can become in the future. It’s indeed our pleasure to partner with you on your success and it’s something we don’t take lightly or forget.
With that in mind, I want to thank you for choosing to work with us and allowing us to partner with you as you move forward on your personal and professional journeys. We appreciate the faith and trust you place in us as we work together to build a solid foundation for your future success.
We have the experience, the know-how and the tools to support you wherever you are right now – and help you get to where you want to be. Contact us and let us help you thrive instead of just survive. Also, visit the ‘Books’ section of our website to find resources that can help you on your journey.
So, choose to make gratitude the centerpiece of your life – and not just your Thanksgiving table. You’ll be astounded at the positive difference it makes for you on a daily basis, as well as for others around you.
With love and appreciation,
-Rob
