Evaluating Your Level of Thankfulness

Studies have shown that gratitude is good for the body, mind, and spirit. A year ago, researchers Finkenauer and Kubacka, along with the rest of the team, conducted an experiment about the correlation between positive behavior of spouses and gratitude. The results were not shocking: partners who received a “thank you” from their loved ones were more responsive to the needs of the other. On the other hand, because those who showed their appreciation received more love and care, they became more responsive to their partners as well. In other words, gratitude made them more loving and caring individuals.

This Thanksgiving, take the time to nourish your soul with a lot of thankfulness (because you have a lot to be grateful for). Here are some ways on how to do that:

Say something. Come holiday, during dinner, do take time to share the things that you love about the entire year, the blessings that just come pouring in. Make a toast for all your achievements.

Enjoy the moment. How many people in the entire world can actually spend Thanksgiving with their friends and family members? How many are still alive to simply enjoy the day? There are millions who die every minute. The mere fact that you are there, celebrating Thanksgiving, is enough to consider yourself truly blessed.

Celebrate the small things. There are no small and big wonders, only blessings coming in a variety of forms. In your moment of self-reflection, be aware of every teeny-weeny opportunity and grace that you have received thus far: food on the table, presence of great friends, the gorgeous fall, the laughter, and the memories, among others.

Say thank you. Remember the experiment you have read a while ago? By showing how much you appreciate the person, the individual becomes more open, kinder, and nicer. He or she becomes more caring and responsive toward you. If you want to feel appreciated too, then make the first step. Tell them how much you are grateful of everything they have done for you.

List them down. Often people forget about the many things they should be thankful for simply because they allow their mound of problems to take control of their life. It is time to get you back to your senses. Here is a very simple thing you can do: grab a piece of paper and start listing down everything that you should say thank you to. Again, it does not matter if it is extremely small. Just write them down.

Start the thank-you tradition. If you are not used to thankfulness before, then use this Thanksgiving as the start of it. You can make a brand-new practice and share it with the rest of your loved ones, so they too may be nourished by gratefulness. You may exchange thank-you notes instead of gifts. You can also begin a self-tradition—that is, an oath and commitment that from this day forward, you will spend at least 5 minutes reflecting on the gifts of the day.