While much has changed in 2020, the season of thanks and gratitude has arrived as it does every year. As we celebrate this holiday season, let us remember that in spite of all the challenges we’ve faced this year, there is still a lot to be grateful for.
Gratitude is having a thankful appreciation for what we have received either tangibly or intangibly. Having a spirit of gratitude allows people to recognize the goodness in their lives. When people practice gratitude, it often helps them form deeper relationships, experience joy and happiness, and connect with something outside themselves. This practice allows people to refocus on and appreciate what they have, instead of what they lack. We encourage you to embrace radical joy and happiness during this season and beyond.
Ways to Cultivate Gratitude:
- Keep a gratitude journal. Create a healthy habit of writing down or sharing the gifts you are thankful for each day.
- Practice mindful mediation, focusing on the present. You can choose a word (like family) or a phrase (like the pleasant smell of apple pie). Do this without judgement, allowing your mind to rest and center in on that word or phrase.
Question: What will you do this week to embrace radical joy?
Contributor: La’Shante Grigsby, Youth Programs Manager