Quick Thanksgiving Affirmations
Happy Thanksgiving, chaps. Today is a day not necessarily to celebrate the pilgrims and the natives but to convene with loved ones and bask in the times. This holiday season is definitely not going to be like those of years past, but do not let that stop you from enjoying it. You can create your own happiness. May you notice all of the good things around you. May you remove yourself from negativity and wallow in the pleasure of good food and good people. Happy day!
Realistic Gratitude
My earliest memories of Thanksgiving were cutting up brown paper into hats or getting marker on my hand as I traced it into a lopsided turkey. We would go around saying what we were thankful for while we ate Cheetos, brownies, and carrots. I am aware of the odd collection of food, but first-grade holiday-party snack tables were limited.
Giving thanks never took much thought: just say something you love and couldn't live without. Leading a self-aware, conscious life requires a bit more thought than that. I had never related to gratitude. I never thought about reflecting on the aspects that made my life great. Gratitude brings modesty and humility and taking a moment to reflect makes for a more mindful way of living.
Adding conscious gratitude into your life is not just saying that you love your family or you are thankful for the food on your plate. Conscious gratitude is on a smaller, more personal scale. It is recognizing how pretty the sunset looks and feeling blessed that you get to see it. It is eating a good meal and noticing how delicious each bite is. It is being with friends and realizing how much you appreciate these people and how they make you feel. Conscious gratitude is living in the heat of the moment and seeing how good everyday things are. You might be walking home from school having had a bad day, but it is as simple as noticing the fresh air or the sound of the trees that bring you back to the moment.
These times have our minds racing about deadlines of the future and regrets of the past. Practicing simple acts of gratitude allows your mind to rest in the present moment. Today doesn't have to be the only day you observe the things that make life good. Staying conscious about the little things around you will help you enjoy every ounce of every day
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