For many, November begins the busy season of holidays, events and shopping–it can be easy to get caught up amidst all of the craziness! But especially with Thanksgiving coming up, now is the perfect time to step back and acknowledge all of the things in your life to be grateful for.
Getting into the mindful practice of gratitude might not be easy at first, so here are a few simple but meaningful ways that you can express your gratitude:
Write to your loved-ones
Although a bit old-fashioned, writing letters, texts, or even emails can be a great way to let people in your life know you appreciate them.
Call them
This one may feel a bit more vulnerable, but it’s as easy as the press of a button, people! A phone call doesn’t have to take a lot of time out of your day, but will leave your loved-ones feeling an extra boost of recognition for the rest of the day.
Spend Time
If you have the time, making plans with someone is a great way to show your gratitude towards them. Take them out to coffee, go see a movie, drive the coast; in this day in age, spending quality time with someone proves they’re really worth it to you.
Invite them to Thanksgiving
If you celebrate, inviting someone to a Thanksgiving–or Friendsgiving–dinner can be a great way to include them into your pre-established plans, especially if you’re trying to build a closer relationship with someone. Holidays are all about spending time with those you love, so take this opportunity to show people in your life that you love them!
Send gifts
If your love language is gift giving, this one should feel like second nature. Especially during the holiday season, there are lots of opportunities for gift giving. To really express your gratitude for someone, try making the gifts as thoughtful as possible, if that means they’re homemade, tickets to an event, trips– gifts can be really personalized!
Practice Self Love
What better way to express your gratitude than to take time appreciating yourself? Give yourself some credit for all the hard work that you do by doing some of your favorite self-care activities. My personal favorites include journaling, baking, spending time in nature, and listening to music. Check out another HC Cal Poly article, “15 Songs to Put You In A Grateful Mood” to get you started.
This month, many will use Thanksgiving to consider what they’re thankful for, but let’s extend this mindfulness as a year-round practice to recognize all that there is to be grateful for in life.