Gratitude and Thanksgiving
Why do we wait until certain holidays to give thanks for our family, our friends, our health? Why not be thankful every day? We also tend to wait until we get a serious health diagnosis to start reassessing what we should be grateful for. The theories associated with positive psychology focus on how we view our daily life (perception) and being grateful each day for at least 3 things. I would have to believe it would be a sad day if we could not find 3 things to be thankful for. Sometimes we may have to really focus hard, but most of the time, it is relatively easy to find many more things to be happy and thankful for.
So, as we start the holiday season, we need to start planning how to assess if any goals were reached during 2020. Now, this in and of itself, may be a greater challenge due to the pandemic and the historic election process that is still being played out daily. Many people saw anxiety levels increase significantly as we awaited, with baited breath, to see who is going to lead the country over the next four years. Why not turn off the news reports, shut down the webpages with election and government news, take time to relax, be grateful, and really start to begin assessing our goals for the New Year. 2021 can only get better, right?
I have shared my struggles with my weight and I have had some delays in getting my annual physical due to a pesky sinus infection. Now, some of you may wonder why I didn’t got into a full blown panic at the first sign of being unwell? I assessed what my symptoms were, remembered all my activity prior to my short period of feeling unwell, and I honestly gave my health professional a reasonable assessment of my condition. No cough, no fever, no trouble breathing; just a pesky congestion that would not clear. We have to remember, even though these times are trying, to be level headed. Take emotion out of the research and reasoning process and focus on the facts.
One advantage for me as well, even though I did have to miss a week of posting and sharing, is that I listened to my body, I had the full support of my fiance, and I didn’t panic. I allowed the valuable skills I acquired during my college days to kick in and to allow me to reason through my situation. So, as we begin to focus on how we get through the next two months, also the end of a crazy year, let’s think long and hard about growth and improvement for 2021. Let’s read more for knowledge, let’s take long walks (weather permitting), let’s seek out information on healthful eating and find creative ways to fuel our bodies.
I’ve truly missed everyone and missed this part of my day. I hope everyone is doing well, staying healthy, getting away from negative people, negative news, and negative materials that can diminish our health and well-being. Let’s start today to plan an amazing journey in the coming year and see what new boundaries we can surpass. Let’s be more kind and more open to hearing our fellow human beings rather than demanding we each adopt a pattern of thinking that is unnatural. As always, stay focused, stay hydrated, and stay healthy. I’m back and ready to rock!!!!!