Friday, October 15, 2021

Giving Thanks All Year Long

Gratitude is important for the mind and body—and not just during the holidays

By Eric Nederlof, Representative

This past weekend throughout Canada, we celebrated Thanksgiving. The second Monday in October was established as Canadian Thanksgiving in 1957 but has been around as an annual celebration day since 1879.

Most of us are aware that our US neighbours, from whom the origins of our Thanksgiving Day derive from, also celebrate Thanksgiving, but late in November. But did you know there are at least 10 other places in the world that celebrate a “Thanksgiving Day” of some sort? Some of those predate our holiday’s origins by centuries.

With everything that’s been going on lately, taking care of one’s mental health has been a highly promoted necessity—and often a theme on this very blog. Thanksgiving Day is an excellent reminder about the power of thankfulness and the great benefits that feeling genuine gratitude has for us psychologically and physically.

But, just as New Year’s is a time for making resolutions for the rest of the year, Thanksgiving Day should be used as a springboard to being thankful every day for the all the blessings life brings you and for the experiences that make and mold you into the person you are.

Focussing on the positives—and that doesn’t just mean the “good” things that help increase our happiness but also seeing the positive outcomes from what are considered bad or unpleasant situations—can have a real and lasting impact on us, improving our character day by day.

Thanksgiving is also more than just passive introspection. It is an active verb—we are giving thanks, not just thinking about it.

Whether it’s for your relationships, health, work, life situation, or anything else you can be thankful for, express that thanks—to your family (spouse, children, siblings, parents, etc.), friends, colleagues, and all of those who help make your life and the lives of your loved ones better, safer, and more enjoyable.

For many today, as with those who started the tradition of Thanksgiving Day in North America, the ultimate thanks go to the God they believe created and sustains all life. This was a thought our predecessors were particularly were mindful of when it was time to bring in the harvests from the fields to help get them through another hard winter.

Remember all that you have in your life to be thankful for and who to be thankful to. Practice giving thanks, not just on holidays but throughout the year. You will not only feel the better for it, but you will also be better for it.

Giving Thanks All Year Long

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