The month of November in the United States is generally the official start of the holiday season. We can expect to see a lot of over shadowed by the holiday of Thanksgiving. This American holiday is typically a time spent by family and love ones eating large meals that are made to share, watching the football game and parades on TV, and reflection, honoring gratitude and overall sense of community.
Gratitude is the expression of appreciation for what one already has and not ones future desires or wishes for. This process and practice is created from within ourselves. This social emotion strengthens relationships, and its roots run deep in evolutionary history, and it stems from the survival value of helping others and being helped in return.
Before we dive into the list, it helps to understand how to feel grateful, not just what to be grateful for. To assist with let’s take a look at the four A’s of Gratitude which includes: Awareness, Acceptance, Appreciation, and Action Taken. These four parts can assist with engaging with gratitude in our daily daily living and not just expressed during certain holidays.
1 – Awareness
Gratitude starts with paying attention to our surroundings. It’s about noticing the little details that can easily be overlooked like the warmth of the sun, the quiet joy of watching a movie with someone. When you slow down and become aware, your world shifts and expands into something more meaningful.
2 – Acceptance
Once we become aware its important to note that not everything will go according to plan and that’s fine. Acceptance here is a term where we embrace where we are right now, without judgment. Even when in the middle of challenging time, we can find small things to be thankful for. Gratitude doesn’t erase pain; it helps you sit with it more gracefully and helps with being kinder to oursevles.
3 – Appreciation
Once you’re aware and accepting, appreciation becomes more natural process. This emotional change where you will feel the generosity in your life. It might be a burst of enjoyment, a wave of calm, or just a quiet moment of contentment.
4 – Action
Gratitude grows stronger when it’s expressed. This expression can take many different forms. For example, you can write it down, share it with a friend, or pay it forward with a kind gesture, taking action anchors appreciation into your everyday habits.
Activating taking part in the practice of daily gratitude can assist with overall health and levels of happiness. What are things that we can be grateful for?