This post is also available in: Español (Spanish)
First of all, Happy Thanksgiving, my friends! This is going to be a short reflection after Turkey Day. As you may know if you’ve been reading this blog for a while, I’m from Venezuela. The reason I’m sharing this fact again is because I wanted to clarify that we don’t celebrate Thanksgiving back there. Turkey Day is not on our holiday list, so I didn’t grow up with this beautiful tradition.
I only knew about Thanksgiving because of the TV shows. I knew Chandler Bing didn’t like the festivity because of his family issues 🤷🏼♀️. But I had never experienced the holiday until I moved here. When I had the chance to celebrate Thanksgiving for the first time, I couldn’t believe a special day was set aside to celebrate gratitude. Do you remember by any chance that ‘thank you’ is one of my favorite phrases (and one of the first I learned to say), and it has a special meaning every single time I say it? So, having a day just to celebrate gratitude was like the best news for me, ever!
Gratitude must be a daily practice … and no, this is not one of those cliché phrases we often see on social media. I really mean it when I say that we should practice gratitude every day the same way we drink water, eat, and brush our teeth daily. We must make it a habit because when we are truly grateful, no space is left for worrying. You can always find something for which to be grateful. Even when you’re going through difficult situations, if you pay attention, you’ll find something that makes you feel grateful.
I started a gratitude journal two years ago. Every single morning, I grab my journal right after I wake up and write three reasons to be grateful. Because it has been two years, I have filled multiple journals. So, I was cleaning my nightstand a few days ago, and I found my old journals. I gave them a quick read, and I smiled at all the things I have written in them, from simple things like the smell of cinnamon cookies on a rainy day all the way up to being grateful for the magnificent love I feel from God every day.
Having a grateful heart is the best way of showing love for ourselves. Being truly grateful is a decision. We must decide to see all the things that are good within ourselves and around us and be grateful for them. The more we practice this habit, the less we worry, and the less we worry, the more energy we have to be joyful and happy. See? It’s like a domino effect. We start by being grateful on purpose, and we end up with lots of space for the good feelings to arise.
If you are a native American, embrace the tradition of having one day to celebrate gratitude. Not every country has this beautiful tradition, so be proud of having this special day on your holiday list. If you’re from a different country, like I am, please don’t exclude this experience from your holidays. I’ve heard many people say they don’t like the holiday because it’s not in their culture. I’m not saying you have to go and do the whole turkey dinner if you don’t want to do it. But take the day to celebrate and practice gratitude from your heart. I promise you it won’t harm you; instead, you’ll feel lighter and happier. 😊
Be grateful for being grateful, my friends! Your heart needs more of that feeling. Actually, your heart is a grateful organ per se, so let it be full. More gratitude, less worry! More love, less anger!
Love,
Irene
