{"id":561,"date":"2010-11-25T10:12:10","date_gmt":"2010-11-25T10:12:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/windowsanddoors\/2010\/11\/how-to-stay-thankful-on-thanks.html"},"modified":"2010-11-25T10:12:10","modified_gmt":"2010-11-25T10:12:10","slug":"how-to-stay-thankful-on-thanks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/windowsanddoors\/2010\/11\/how-to-stay-thankful-on-thanks.html","title":{"rendered":"How To Stay Thankful, On Thanksgiving and Beyond"},"content":{"rendered":"

Thanksgiving is here and I love the holiday. I also appreciate that being thankful can be challenging in difficult times, whether the challenges are related to finances, health, or relationships. But it’s precisely when we find ourselves in challenging circumstances that thankfulness is especially valuable and helpful.
\nGratitude<\/a> is actually medically proven to lift our spirits and improve our health. And while this may disappoint some folks, the object of our gratitude is entirely irrelevant, at least in terms of the health and happiness benefits which it creates.
\nPerhaps because Hanukkah is also fast-approaching, I find myself thinking in 8’s. Whatever the reason, the following eight simple steps will actually help us all to stay a little more thankful this Thanksgiving and find new happiness because we are.
\n1.\tFind what you’re grateful for. The real uncertainty we face about our futures can make us quite fearful and sad. Locating those things for which we can still be grateful, brings joy even in the face of those challenges without pretending they are not real.
\n2.\tArticulate it. Tell a friend or loved one a story about something for which you are grateful. Don’t be surprised to find yourself smiling by the end of that story.
\n3.\tConsider the difference between wealth and value. While material wealth is important, it is not the only source of real value in our lives. We can all celebrate value, even when the material wealth in our lives is taking a beating.
\n4.\tRemember that wealth begins within. An ancient rabbinic teaching reminds us that we are wealthy when we are happy with what we possess.
\n5.\tAcknowledge that happiness and satisfaction are different. We can want more than we currently have and still be happy with what we’ve got. Wanting more does not have to get in the way of enjoying what we already have. If it does, we will never have enough.
\n6.\tAppreciate that abundance, be it relationships or in material wealth is all relative. A person who lives in a $100,000 house in a neighborhood of $75,000 homes experiences living in a mansion. The same house in a neighborhood of $500,000 homes may feel like a hovel.
\n7.\tHelp yourself by helping others. The holidays are a great time to reach out to other people in need. Helping others address their needs is one of the best ways to relieve the anxiety we may feel about our own.
\n8.\tWe all have something to give. No matter how difficult our circumstances may be, we can all offer support to those around us. Whether it’s a penny, a hug, or much more, the act of giving always makes us feel as if we have more than we thought we had.
\nHappy Thanksgiving!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Thanksgiving is here and I love the holiday. I also appreciate that being thankful can be challenging in difficult times, whether the challenges are related to finances, health, or relationships. But it’s precisely when we find ourselves in challenging circumstances that thankfulness is especially valuable and helpful. Gratitude is actually medically proven to lift our…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":133,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-561","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pop-culture","category-spirituality"],"yoast_head":"\nHow To Stay Thankful, On Thanksgiving and Beyond - Windows and Doors<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/windowsanddoors\/2010\/11\/how-to-stay-thankful-on-thanks.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How To Stay Thankful, On Thanksgiving and Beyond - Windows and Doors\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Thanksgiving is here and I love the holiday. 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