With Thanksgiving only a week away, I’ve been noticing fewer random acts of kindness. Odd, isn’t it? You would think that people would be thinking about how grateful they are for what they have and yet few seem to be doing this. Lately I’ve noticed way too many people driving recklessly because they’re too involved in conversation on their hand-held cell phones, others getting impatient because they have to stand in line at a store cash register due to employee cutbacks, and the list can go on. Yes, I acknowledge that life has become more challenging during these tough economic times but does that translate in forgetting to be grateful for what you do have?
Being grateful is not only polite to others; it is a critical component of your wellness. By living a life of gratitude you live in positive or anabolic energy. You look at life from a perspective of abundance and joy versus lack and sadness. As you think about that, notice your immediate energetic response. Do you choose abundance and joy or lack and sadness?
If you choose abundance and joy (which I think many of you do), here are a couple of ways to express and/or notice your gratitude.
- Keep a gratitude journal. Once a day write down 5 things for which you are grateful. They can be simple or complex, it’s up to you.
- Offer someone a compliment each day. Be sure it is genuine or the value is not felt by you or the recipient.
- Do one random act of kindness each day. It can be as simple as offering a stranger a smile, saying “thank you” or letting a car switch lanes in front of you.
As you do these or any other of your choosing, notice how it makes you as well as the recipient feel. Together we can create a holiday season filled with kindness and positively affect our wellness.
Be Present, Be Purposeful, Be Well.
To your wellness!
