Thanksgiving can be an inspiring holiday. There’s something about this particular holiday that causes us to reflect on what’s really important and brings a fresh perspective into our lives.
But as we all know, that warm and fuzzy feeling unfortunately doesn’t last forever. And too often, we treat gratitude as a holiday ornament that we pull from the attic when we’re ready to decorate. After the holidays are over, we pack it away and get back to daily life. But, when we do this, we miss out on all the amazing benefits of gratefulness. So, here are my top 5 reasons why I’m thankful for thankfulness.
- Thankfulness increases likability.
Let’s be honest, no one wants to be around ungrateful, entitled individuals. Yet we all enjoy spending time with grateful, down-to-earth people. When you are grateful, people see you in a positive light, and they naturally like you and want to be around you.
2. Thankfulness is contagious.
Crazy, huh? Just as fear and worry are contagious, so is the spread of kindness and gratitude. When we’re encouraged by others’ gratefulness, it stimulates our own grateful thoughts and actions as well. We can be the activators that spread gratitude in our homes, offices and communities.
3. Thankfulness promotes generosity.
It can be tough to be a giver when our eyes are always focused on our own needs. When we are thankful for what we have, we can hold our blessings with an open hand and freely give to others. And when we realize how richly we are blessed, we can confidently and joyfully become a blessing to others.
4. Thankfulness encourages humility.
Overconfidence and ungratefulness go hand in hand. But the opposite is also true. When we choose to be thankful for the big and small blessings in our lives, we foster a heart of humility and a spirit of graciousness.
5. Thankfulness feels good.
You know how happy we feel around Thanksgiving because we have delicious food, family and cool weather? We can continue to feel that way long after the turkey and dressing are gone. How? All we have to do is count our blessings and turn our hearts and thoughts toward gratitude. The warm and fuzzy feelings will follow.
…and not to point out the obvious, but isn’t that what the holiday is all about? It is in the name! LOL!
Happy Thanksgiving and thank you for reading my blog!
Knit Rite 