Fall is in the air here in Portland … pumpkins have growing bright and orange in their patches, and Thanksgiving is right around the corner. With Thanksgiving, of course, comes the urge, maybe even pressure, to be grateful for all that we have. Sometimes we may say we are grateful without actually pausing to acknowledge the act of gratitude and what it means. Being truly grateful and feeling it in our very bones can be a very deep practice that has been proven scientifically to help decrease stress. And we could all use a little less stress this holiday season, right?
So, are there ways that we can truly feel gratitude for this Thanksgiving, instead of just implying that we are grateful for superficial things? First, we might think of others who, unlike many of us, don’t have their needs met on a day-to-day basis. Do you have food when you are hungry and a nice warm place to call home during the upcoming winter months? We can think of our health or the health of our loved ones and friends. We can step back and catch a bigger picture of happiness and gratitude when we take into account all of these little things (which are big things) for which to be grateful.
Some more tangible ways to practice gratitude can include simple activities that even the children in your life might enjoy. Never, of course, taking the stage away from the ever-popular “paper hand turkey” that is a rite of passage for every elementary-aged child. What about hanging a poster for the day of Thanksgiving on which everyone who comes to your home can write something they are thankful for? There is also the gratitude journal. Gratitude journaling is a fun practice, but even better is trying to fill a whole page of notebook paper with things you are grateful for. Be artistic with it and have fun! Once you fill up a whole page and realize all that you have to be grateful for, it could change your outlook for the holidays.
We’re Grateful for You!
Those of us here at Heat Relief Heating & Cooling, we are grateful for your support and business. So grateful that we are offering you this opportunity to save. Just another way we can help to ensure warm and cozy days as the winter chill sets in!