Thanksgiving / Givingthanks

It’s November, the month of grateful living! The first Thanksgiving in 1621 was a feast shared by the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag at Plymouth Colony. The menu consisted of waterfowl, venison, lobster, clams, berries, fruit, pumpkin and squash. It was a celebration of the first harvest!

Today, Thanksgiving Day is an annual national holiday observed in the United States and Canada to celebrate the harvest and other blessings of the year.

As we begin the transition into the 2020 holiday season, we’re reminded of how the meaning of that first Thanksgiving continues to resonate today. The year is almost behind us, and with everything we’ve endured since March, more than ever we need to stay focused on the present and all the good in our lives.

It has been a difficult year. We are frustrated, exhausted, fed up, and downright depressed at times. However, there is still much to be grateful for, such as family, friends, food to eat, clean water, and a beautiful fall filled with an abundance of color. Get out in nature; take a few moments to really be present to the beauty that surrounds you. Take pictures, snap away and send them to love ones to let them know you are thinking of them.

Write gratitude letters. Start now and continue through Thanksgiving. Each day, think of someone and let them know why you are grateful for them. It only takes a few moments, but the return on that small investment of time will be so worth it. The feeling you’ll get, and the way you’ll make someone else feel, will be such a beautiful gift… it’s a win-win! And best of all it doesn’t cost anything other than postage.

Download my free 14 Days of Thanks & Giving checklist. Write one thanks (something you’re grateful for) and one giving (doing something for someone else) each day on the first page, and find inspiration on the second page to help you along the way.

This Thanksgiving, as things have been taken away from so many, let’s give back. Give the gift of gratitude to others, and to yourself. Let us give thanks for the opportunity to embrace what truly matters in life… each other.

I’d love to hear some of your thanks and giving ideas! Please share in the comments below.