November 2018
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
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Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.
~Marcel Proust~
Greetings!
November honors my favorite holiday of the year—Thanksgiving—and gently reminds us of the importance of being grateful for ourselves, our lives, our loved ones, and for the kindness of others.
In his
Greater Good
essay, "Why Gratitude is Good," Robert Emmons, a psychologist who has done research on gratitude, says that he believes that gratitude has two primary components:
- It's an affirmation of goodness, in that we recognize the gifts, blessings, and benefits we receive.
- It recognizes that gifts and blessings come from outside ourselves. We understand that other people or higher powers (if we believe in those) provide us with many gifts to help us attain the goodness in our lives.
Gratitude is a key driver in our quest for happiness and fulfillment. One way to acknowledge our gratitude is to keep a gratitude journal. There are a number of ways to do so. You can make a list of things for which you're grateful, and each day expand on one topic from your list; or you can keep a journal by your bedside, and each night list three things you're grateful for.
Gratitude is a choice, and this month my intention is to make the choice to express mine whenever possible. I am especially grateful for you, dear reader.
