Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day. It’s the one day of the year that’s dedicated to noticing and giving thanks for all the good things we have in our lives. This past year has been a good one for me, and I have a lot to be grateful for. In my practice, I’m especially thankful for the dedication and courage that each of my clients bring to their work with me. It’s a real honor to sit with each of them as they work through hard issues and share their struggles and successes, joys and sorrows. In my family, I’m thankful for the emotional growth I’ve seen in both of my children, for my husband’s health, for the joy that my son and husband have experienced together creating a pond for our turtle outside, and I’m always thankful for a warm, dry place to call home at the end of the day.

For me, giving thanks is not just a once a year thing. I have a gratitude practice that I engage in every day. Following my daily meditation, I spend a few minutes noticing at least five things I’m grateful for. I make sure not to mention the same things day after day, and try to think of specific things that have happened in the past day that I’m especially grateful for. I quietly name each of these things to myself, before getting up and starting my day. As an adjunct, I also look for opportunities to do some act of kindness for some person I encounter each day.

There are many ways to practice gratitude. Noticing the blessings in our lives and expressing gratitude for them has many physical and emotional benefits, including that it boosts our immune systems and alleviates anxiety and depression. The attached article lists a variety of different ways to practice gratitude. Look and see which gratitude practices work for you. https://chopra.com/articles/25-simple-ways-to-practice-gratitude

Here’s wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving, and an upcoming year of blessings and gratitude.