Julie Henne In a couple of days, a lot of us are going to sit down around of family tables and enjoy a gigantic feast while we wax poetic about the things we’re thankful for.
How many of us are going to have a really good answer and how many of us are going to say we’re thankful for our things? We live in a hustling and bustling world were appreciating the small things is pretty hard to do. We’re no longer accustomed to stop and smell the roses, or really even notice them because we’re too busy moving too quickly.
Why are we moving so fast, though? What’s going to happen at the moment when we’re bending down to enjoy a flower? Someone may update their status on Facebook or post a new Instagram photo, right? Wrong. We need to be much less concerned with social media, electronics, and reality television and more concerned about the small stuff. All of this small stuff is going to outlast us all. It’s not going to be the stuff we leave behind that we’re remembered for; it’s going to be the lives we led. Do you really want someone to say in your eulogy that you had a “totally awesome phone”?
How to Be More Grateful
Even though we live in a busy world, where competition is key to getting ahead, it doesn’t mean we have to always be engaged in that world. We don’t always have to be competing. We need to take the time to be happy with what we have and show our gratefulness on this day when we come together to express such thanks.
Here’s how.
- Go Electronics Free for a Night –After your working hours are over unless you own a business, there is nothing happening that has to be dealt with when you should be enjoying your time off. Grab a dusty old paperback book and start to read again. Play a game with your kids. Create something cool from an idea you got on Pinterest. Clean your house. Enjoy something that doesn’t need to be plugged in or charged for usage. This does not include your stove or fridge, so if you’re a big fan of cooking, create something new!
- Take a Walk –If you live on the East Coast, it’s starting to get cold, so you may be doing more treadmill walking than you ever have before. However, get outside for a couple of minutes and feel the cold on your cheeks. Feel the sun hit your skin and breathe in the fresh air. Even if it’s just a quick walk around the block, it will help you to be thankful to have that air in your lungs propelling you forward.
- Smile More –One thing is noticeable if you go out in public these days; people look angry. We would rather look away from strangers than raise the corners of our mouths. It doesn’t take much to muster up a smile and you never know what it could be doing for someone. Someone may be thankful to you.
- Slow Down –We move really quickly these days. We don’t make small talk anymore. We don’t savor our food or drink. Ferris Bueller said, “life moves pretty fast sometimes if you don’t stop to look around once in a while, you could miss it.” How right could that be? We’re missing it! We’re not stopping to enjoy anything anymore and it’s ruining things. We need to be more appreciative of every moment. Say hello at the gas station, return someone’s grocery cart for them, or just simply take the time to say thank you for each day.
- Cut the Competition –We’re not going to be remembered for having the newest phone or the biggest TV. We’re going to be remembered by the people who love us, who knew us well. They’re going to want something to say about us, except that we had awesome houses and cars. Get off the competition track, you’re not getting anyone. Enjoy your life with your sixty inch TV, instead of the 70”.
Don’t wait for Thanksgiving Day to be grateful for everything with which you’ve been blessed. Enjoy it now. Be thankful for it every day. Take the time to appreciate what you’ve got, you won’t be sorry.
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