Ms. News Goat

We all know Thanksgiving is a great time to remember the things we’re thankful for. But why wait for a once-a-year holiday… especially when that day’s meaning can get overwhelmed by family gatherings, football, and pumpkin pie?

In the past 6 months or so, I’ve started listing things I’m thankful for every morning. I’ve made a couple of rules for myself:

• Each thing I list should be specific, preferably something new that occurred (or that I became aware of) in the last 24 hours.
• I list 1-2 things I’m thankful for in each of 7 categories:
  • Physical
  • Social/Community
  • Mental/Self-Improvement
  • Fun & Relaxation
  • Home Life
  • Home Business
  • Work
• If I really can’t think of something for a category, I can instead concentrate on a positive expectation I have for the current day. For example, I am thankful that tonight’s spa appointment will give me an opportunity to relax.

It’s a simple exercise, but it’s very powerful. If I’ve started the day in a bad mood, this is a great way to turn my mood around. Focusing on the positive instead of the negative helps me be happier in the short term.

But it also seems to shift my focus in the longer term. If I know I’m going to have to make a list tomorrow morning of things I’m thankful for, I am more likely to look for things throughout my day to add to that list. And it goes beyond just observing the positive things around me. I think I’m more likely to make those positive things happen.

I hope your Thanksgiving holiday is wonderful. But I also hope that this year, you’ll celebrate Thanks-giving on a daily basis.

Just go easy on that pumpkin pie…