Here we are – our first official quarantined holiday season. It’s easy to sit back and rattle off why this year is so much more complicated than holidays of years gone by, but what would that do? Just cause more stress and negativity, in our opinion. This year, take the challenge to make your 2020 holiday season the most grateful yet. Need some help with that?
If you and your loved ones are healthy, this is the year to truly be thankful. The outdoors are a petri dish, more so than in the past. If you and your family have escaped illness, that’s a reason to be thankful.
If there is food on the table, be thankful. Some Americans have lost their jobs, income, and homes. If you can provide a meal during the holidays, that’s reason enough to be grateful. Need some extra proof? Volunteer at a local shelter. Helping others makes us realize how lucky we are.
Laughter is the best medicine, so if you can infuse some giggles into your holiday, do it and be thankful. The pain of a belly laugh is the best out there.
We should all be grateful for the invention of elastic. Sure, the COVID weight gain isn’t the best, and now we’re topping it off with sweets, meats, and treats, but if elastic weren’t invented, we’d have to wear potato sacks. Yes, elastic is worth a nod of gratitude.
Take a look around at the people you surround yourself with, and be thankful for their companionship. Whether you’re married with kids, living with a housemate, or single and spending the holiday with friends, show some gratitude for the people in your life. It’s our loved ones that matter. Without them, life would be boring and meaningless.
The holidays are a good time to sit down with a pen and paper and list all of the things you’re grateful for. From the mundane (I like my hair) to the extraordinary (I love my kids), gratitude is essential for a healthy and positive psyche. Try it. You’ll see. Just don’t forget about the elastic.
