Thanksgiving is a holiday given to people to give thanks for everything they cherish. In a world where people are constantly moving and things are changing, we aren’t given enough time to reflect on our lives, experiences, and emotions. The origin of Thanksgiving is something that began as very different, but the Thanksgiving that exists now is the one everyone remembers.
The origin of Thanksgiving starts with a celebration of the pilgrims hosting a feast to celebrate the success of the first corn harvest. However, they did not expect this feast to become a national holiday. It ended up lasting for three days! The first Thanksgiving was a feast to celebrate the success of the harvest, but in a way, it was also a way for people to take the time to be with loved ones, enjoy food, reflect on the work that was put into the harvest, and be grateful for its success.
There are different traditions for Thanksgiving, but most of them always include the unity of loved ones surrounding a table full of delicious food. There are many things a person could be thankful for, but it’s okay if you are having trouble finding those things. Everyone gets overwhelmed, especially during the holidays, so it is important for you to slow down, take a deep breath, and reflect.
Take a deep breath in silence
Getting yourself in a good mindset is an excellent way to start looking at gratitude. With all the chaos in the world, it’s normal for us to forget how to take a minute to ourselves. Sitting outside or inside and taking deep breaths in silence can help you center yourself. Breathing in and breathing out, lowering your heart rate enough for you to feel yourself become calm, can allow more reflective thoughts to go through. Focusing on the happier memories of the past year so they can block out and outweigh any negative ones can help make you feel more content and grateful this Thanksgiving.
Surrounded by loved ones
This can include anyone and everyone, from family to friends to pets to books. Having anyone or anything that you hold dear near you can help you feel more calm and at peace. If family stresses you out, surround yourself with friends; if friends aren’t it and you are into books or games, pick one up and lose yourself in it. Whichever one brings you peace will calm you and allow you to feel grateful you have it.
Be thankful for no school
Some schools still let you have the week off; some don’t. If they choose to, the professors will assign assignments to complete, but no in-person or online classes that week. So if all else fails, let’s be thankful we don’t have to go to class in person and can go home early or chill on a semi-empty campus.
However you plan on spending your Thanksgiving, take the time to find something to be thankful for, no matter how random, as long as it is essential to you.