Thanksgiving (noun): The act of rendering thanks or of expressing gratitude for favors, benefits, or mercies; an acknowledgment of benefits received.
On this day of Thanks, here are some things you can do for your well-being:
#1 Feeling Grateful
Reflecting on the people in our lives we’re thankful for rarely makes it to the top of our crammed to-do lists. However, research shows that gratitude can have a significant impact on our physical and mental health. People who practice gratitude experience increased happiness and satisfaction and are more patient with financial decision-making.
Expressing thankfulness can also improve marital satisfaction. Conversely, taking each other for granted often paves the way to marital discord, according to the Gottman Institute.
Americans need help in this area, as we live in a country with one of the highest divorce rates in the world, especially among Baby Boomers. Research released in 2022 by Bowling Green State University showed that divorce rates among those 65 and older tripled from 1990 to 2021.
#2: Awaken Gratitude with “Savoring”
What is savoring? Laurie Santos, a professor at Yale University who teaches the science of well-being, describes it as “stepping out of your experience to review it and really appreciate it while it’s happening.”
Training your brain to “stop and smell the roses,” so to speak, can help grow our awareness of the good things in our lives. In turn, this can start a virtuous cycle of expressing thanks and sharing our good feelings with others.
A good place to start is a simple ‘coffee/tea’ mindfulness exercise. This is a simple exercise to guide yourself to use all of your senses to dive deeply into the simple experience of enjoying a cup of coffee or tea.
#3: Plan for Moments of Connection
The most meaningful moments of our lives center around sharing time with those that we love. If you are retired, you may enjoy spending time with your grown children and grandchildren. Or perhaps you are still working and struggling to find time to spend quality time with your partner or loved ones. You should plan for dedicated time to spend with your loved ones and by focusing on fun and memorable activities you all enjoy, such as date nights or new experiences that offer the chance to spend quality, enjoyable time appreciating your loved ones.
#4: Designing the Life You Want
It helps to practice gratitude which can improve your overall well-being. It’s also not only important, but fun! to DREAM. What do you love to do? Where do you love to be? Who do you love to be with? What are new things you’d like to learn or try? Everyone should take time to think about who and what is important to them and what steps they can take – big or small – to help create a life you LOVE.