Something For Every Body: Happy "Thanks-giving"

By Millie Jackson

Gratitude is a great remedy for discontentment.  Being grateful produces positive results because it sets into motion an uplifting appreciation for life.  Thankfully, living with an attitude of gratitude is an option we all have regardless of our circumstances.

Happiness and contentment can be found in the moment when we are not constantly looking for new things to come along and “make” us happy (job, car, relationships, clothes, toys, etc.).  What we don’t have can appear far more desirable, while what we do have can seem worth less--the proverbial “The grass is always greener on the other side”.  By experiencing gratitude for what we have, we can avoid the pitfall of “not knowing what we had until it’s gone”.

Health and wellness are great examples of aspects of ourselves that often are taken for granted until a crisis is experienced.  It is this disregard for our bodies that can result in lack of appropriate care that precipitates some crises.

It is easy to get angry or frustrated with our bodies for being tired, sick or in pain.  Keep in mind that the body is just expressing that something is awry and in need of attention.  Learn to have gratitude for your body’s symptoms and to respond with compassion.  They could be saving your life or at least saving you avoidable challenges of experiencing serious, chronic ills.

The body is constantly working and responds well to gratefulness.  Talk to your body; say “thank you” in front of the mirror.  Turn criticisms into appreciations.  For instance, instead of being unkind and perhaps chastising parts of your body that you don’t like, thank them for getting you through the day.  Give them loving attention such as stretching and massaging lotion on them.

Just as with any other habit, the habit of being grateful can be developed.  By bringing it into consciousness long enough, experiencing thankfulness can become second nature.  Use Post-it notes in visible places with helpful reminders like “give thanks,” “appreciate,” “gratitude,” “I am grateful,” etc.

Make mental lists recognizing aspects of your life and the people in it that you appreciate. Writing appreciations out is also a good exercise.  This gives you ready-made lists to refer to if you ever are feeling too low to come up with examples of gratitude.  Regardless of what kind of day you have, before you go to sleep acknowledge some things that you appreciate about your experiences.  If there seems to be nothing redeemable about the day, you can at least be grateful that it is over.

Learn to experience gratitude in guiltless ways instead of using the “I should be thankful because some people have it worse than I do” scenario.  Guilt doesn’t usually cultivate genuine gratitude.  Hone your skills at finding something to appreciate in everything.  Make a game of it.

Acknowledging thoughtful deeds can be as important as doing them.  In addition to being thankful, learn to express it at every opportunity.  Grace others with the gift of your appreciation.  Always give thanks humbly; avoid paying gratitude for the sake of getting a receipt.

Feeling grateful instead of regretful can be energizing.  We have a choice in framing our lives in ways that feel empowering.  We can free ourselves from unnecessarily woeful recollections of the past by giving attention to what has brought joy instead of suffering.  Focus on glory moments instead of gory moments.  Take pleasant walks down memory lane, tapping into the power of prudent positivity.  Let your “take” on life be an affirming one, creating a perspective that leaves you feeling grateful.  I am not suggesting being in denial, but our body chemistry is more health-inducing when we focus on positive thoughts compared to negative ones.  We are free to choose a healthier focus.

Begin wrapping up 2009 with some heart-felt appreciation for the experiences of the past year (you don’t have to wait until New Year’s Eve for that).  If you celebrate Thanksgiving, consider celebrating with an abundance of gratitude while going easy on fats and sweets.  Cultivate your life with gratefulness by seeing and welcoming all that is affirming.  Savor your journey while infusing it with the richness and delight of gratitude.

Thanks for reading!  I really appreciate the opportunity to express my passion for simple and practical applications for greater wellness.  I look forward to sharing my quest for optimal well-being into the New Year.

Happy “thanks-giving”!