25 SEP 2018: With Canadian Thanksgiving fast approaching, we are headed into the holiday season at what feels like warp speed. While often touted “the most wonderful time of the year”, paradoxically the holidays are also synonymous with stress. Thanksgiving is, as the name suggests, about giving thanks for what we have. A message that seems to have been lost beneath copious amounts of turkey gravy, quirky family dynamics, and door-busting Black Friday deals.

What better time than Thanksgiving to start practicing what it really means to give thanks. So, as we prepare for our upcoming feasts, let’s also take a moment to reflect on the things we are grateful for. An attitude of gratitude is always in style, and it helps to bring the ever elusive feelings of true happiness back within reach for anyone.

Before we get into the details, let’s talk about how it actually works. You know that feeling when you pull into your driveway after a long rush hour commute, but you don’t quite remember anything about how you got there? It can be unnerving, but that is your subconscious taking over the habitual task to allow your conscious mind to focus on other more important things. Your brain is processing a dizzying amount of information every single second, so to save our sanity, only a very small portion of that is part of your conscious awareness. After consciously repeating a behaviour, that thought or action pattern becomes delegated to your subconscious autopilot.

Now, couple this preference for routine and familiarity with a society that breeds inadequacy and fear. We are conditioned to looking over the fence to what others have achieved and constantly compare ourselves to the accomplishments of others. The problem is living according to this gradient of success criteria has no official endpoint.

There is no exact scenario that qualifies you to have “made it”. There will always be more to attain, more money to make, or the next latest and greatest tech gadget are tempting you around every billboard and social media post. We are chronically unhappy and always looking for what we’re missing in the constant quest for the fleeting satisfaction of achieving a ‘better life’.

Gratitude saves us from ourselves.

When we choose to focus on the abundance of greatness we already embody, we rewire our brains to train our autopilot to see more of that greatness. Of course, it doesn’t mean those bad things will never happen again, but instead, it makes the radiance of the silver lining seem so much more obvious. It’s no surprise then, that studies have found that a consistent gratitude practice mediated stress levels and supported more positive social relationships. Both of which are critical factors that are associated with improved mental and physical health for participants in the long run.

The best part?

All it takes is a minute.

When you wake up in the morning, and before you go to bed, think of three things you are grateful for, and write them down. Instead of thinking about how many errands you have to complete, or how long you will be stuck in traffic. Try instead, thoughts of feeling glad to have a car to drive, or being able-bodied enough to take multiple trips over the course of the day, or how grateful you are to have a job that helps to pay the bills.

Replace your “I have to…” statements with “I get to…” because even the darkest clouds still have silver linings. The most important thing is to be consistent and make your statements specific to you in your life. You can focus on your unique abilities, physical features, relationships, or whatever other awesomeness you have to celebrate! Try to vary the statements as much as you can and over time you will realize just how many good things you have to be grateful for.

So, enjoy the holiday season, feel grateful for the feasts, and don’t stress about the holiday fluff you may collect along the way. Eat drink and be merry (just try to have a few vegetables with your meals). And if nothing else this Thanksgiving, be thankful to be alive.