As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, I wanted to take a few minutes to talk about gratitude.

I really enjoy Thanksgiving. It is a chance to be together with family without all the stress of Christmas. Usually, my family gets together the night before Thanksgiving and my Dad leads us through pie-making. He makes the most wonderful pies, one things I am very grateful for at this holiday! We have such a good time just being together, laughing, telling stories of pie-making disasters of the past (like the year I added vinegar instead of vanilla to the pecan pie), and having a good-old-time. I don’t get to be with my immediate family this year, but I do get the spend the weekend with some fun cousins.

These times cause me to pause and take some time to consider how very lucky I am. I have a wonderful family who has stood by me through thick and thin. I have a husband who supports me in everything I do and with whom I have so much fun. I have a healthy, handsome, smart, and funny son who is beginning some exciting adventures. I have the best friends anyone could ever ask for. I have a home that is warm, cozy, and peaceful. I am starting a new practice in a new city. The list could go on and on.

I actually practice gratitude every day of my life. I have little rituals that make me state things I am thankful for, like when I look at the time and it is all the same numbers (ex. 5:55 or 11:11). When things start to look gloomy, I stop and think about all the great things in my life and it makes the gloom disappear more quickly. When things are really not going well, I will journal three things I am grateful for every night for a few weeks. This really helps to put things into perspective.

I also use the Thanksgiving holiday every year to be more thankful. One year, I had everyone write down things they are thankful for and put them in a bowl. Then, as we were giving thanks before our meal, we passed the bowl and read them all aloud. It was so wonderful to hear all of the great things we have in our lives and to share them with each other. Another year, I took some branches from the trees in my yard (with gratitude to the trees, of course) and made a Tree of Gratitude. We added to it the whole week of Thanksgiving.

What are your Thanksgiving traditions? What makes the holiday special for you? What can you create or do to be more grateful in your life now and every day? Please post your comments below and share this post with those you are thankful for. Have a very Happy and Grateful Thanksgiving!