Be a Light to Someone with a Little Thanks and Giving This November
I’ve long felt that November doesn’t get the love that the surrounding months get. It often seems like a holding place as we speed from Halloween into Christmas. And as we march doggedly along trying scratch everything off the holiday preparation lists, we sometimes lose that sense of gratitude this month teaches us to demonstrate and embarrassingly behave with less kindness towards others.
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, for several reasons. It gives me pause and forces me to reflect on the blessings I enjoy but often tend to “forget” during the busy times of life. It’s also a holiday without much commercialism. The true meaning of thanks and giving isn’t overshadowed with the same pageantry other more ‘popular’ holidays experience. This is the perfect time to reflect with gratitude on all the positives in our life. We should strive to pay it forward whenever we can. Neighbors helping neighbors, people helping people – that’s what makes life special.
The original idea of Thanksgiving as an observed national holiday had less to do with Pilgrims and Indians, and instead started with an idea from our first President George Washington. In 1789, Washington called for a celebratory “day of public thanksgiving and prayer” in response to achieving independence & successfully forming a new government. Striving to keep Church and State separate, nothing officially developed until our 16th President Abraham Lincoln made famous his Thanksgiving Proclamation. In October 1863, the 4th Thursday in November was proclaimed to be a day of thanksgiving and prayer to express gratitude for our blessings, both tangible and intangible. Whether you are a believer in a higher power, karma, or simply the power of kindness – the underlying message of thanks and giving should resound in us all this time of the year. Read the official proclamation HERE.
The Benefits of Gratitude
The benefits of gratitude can personally enhance our lives, as well as enrich those in which we touch. Gratitude helps people deal with adversity, build stronger relationships, develop positive emotions and promote better health. Amy Morin writes about the psychologically proven ways that “gratitude can change your life.” Here’s a summary of her list, detailing how YOU can personally benefit from expressing & acknowledging gratitude.
- You’ll develop stronger relationships & friendships AND be a better leader.
- Gratitude contributes to improved physical health.
- It can also improve your mental health & general well-being.
- Gratitude enriches your behavior – you’ll show more sensitivity and empathy towards others.
- You’ll sleep better!
- You will have better self-esteem and demonstrate less resentment towards others.
- Gratitude fosters resilience – you’ll bounce back from tough times more easily.
- Living with gratitude may decrease your stress levels!
Expressing Gratitude
Personally, I know I can be more grateful. I strive to filter out all the negativity this world seems to hurl our way these days. It’s sometimes challenging to sort through all the conflict, sadness and disappointment one sometimes feels when you turn on the news or venture out into the world. I get it! But recently, I heard a country song that said, “In a world full of hate, be a light.” And it gave me an idea! I decided at that moment to focus more on the good around me. Hopefully I can be a spark of positivity to encourage others to “be a light” too.
30 Day Random Act of Kindness Challenge (gratitude)
As such, I decided to embark on a 30-day Random Act of Kindness Challenge. I want to pay it forward for the many blessings I enjoy every day and selfishly take for granted. What better time of the year to show kindness and pay it forward with Thanks and Giving?! I’ve compiled a list of easy, yet meaningful, ways in which we can let other people know they are loved, important and appreciated.
I encourage all of you to join me in the 30 Days of Kindness Challenge this November. My suspicion is that we will all benefit richly from paying it forward.
Good Luck!
P.S. I’d love to hear how your month of kindness turned out. Tag me on IG or send me a message with your experience.
