By Jacie Sellars, News Editor
As you sit around the table at Thanksgiving dinner this year, you might hear a classic seasonal question: “What are you thankful for?” On a holiday full of family and comfort food, it’s probably pretty easy to think of at least one answer to this question. However, gratitude should extend beyond a single day each year, even when it’s harder to find.
In a fast-paced society full of negative news, it can feel difficult to slow down and practice gratitude. Stress often takes over, causing people to shift into survival mode instead of dwelling on their blessings. Gratitude, however, has many benefits that can actually decrease stress. According to a study from the Mayo Clinic, thankfulness boosts sleep and immunity, and it can even improve chronic pain and mental health. These benefits occur through purposeful gratitude in thoughts, words and actions.
Gratitude often begins internally with an intentional mindset. As you go through your day, make a point of noticing the wonderful blessings in ordinary moments. Take a reflective walk and lift up your happiest memories in prayer. A mindset of thankfulness can easily fit into everyday life, but it will create a lasting change in how you view things. What a privilege it is to have food to eat, people to talk to and a university to attend. Practicing grateful thoughts will allow you to find blessings in the most mundane aspects of life.
Once you have thought about things to be thankful for, you can use grateful words to encourage those around you. Write an encouraging text or note to the people you feel thankful for. Don’t be afraid of vulnerability- instead, honestly thank those around you. You never know how large an impact your words may have.
Finally, you can act on your gratitude by serving others. Helping other people provides perspective on life, and the holidays are a great time to find community service opportunities. Between toy collections, food drives and church gatherings, there are plenty of ways to get involved. At Ouachita, the Elrod Center will be delivering Thanksgiving baskets to the local community, and many other campus organizations have a holiday service project. When you are selflessly serving, it is harder to dwell on the negatives in your life. Sharing your blessings with others is a great way to better appreciate them yourself.
During the holiday season, many traditions become a shallow, commercialized form of something positive. Giving thanks does not have to become one of these empty traditions. When you let gratitude find a place in your heart and habits, your life will change. Gratitude does not mean that bad things will not happen or that you won’t mourn them. However, gratitude does mean that there is always a window of hope- hope in God and in people. By intentionally practicing thankfulness, this hope will be with you at your Thanksgiving table and far beyond it.
