In the US Thanksgiving is a massive holiday. Yes it has the common American commercialisation (who doesn’t love a Black Friday Sales!), but at its core it is about something much deeper.
When I was raised Thanksgiving was about spending time with family and the people you loved and taking the time to reflect about what you were truly thankful for. I think that this is a wonderful ritual that we should do more often.
The global singing sensation, Adele, just launched her latest album titled 30. Of course she has been doing the marketing rounds to promote it to the masses. However in one recent concert she was asked who was one of the most inspirational people to her from her past. Her response was Ms McDonald, who happened to be her English teacher from Chestnut Grove Academy, a teacher that she had not seen in decades. To her surprise, her mother had organised to have Ms McDonald in the audience. It was powerful to watch and hear how Adele responded, including her saying; “She was so bloody cool. . .she really made us care and we knew she cared about us.”
Wow, what a great sense of thankfulness. When people are truly grateful their energy shifts. It is almost as if they become more content with their place in the world. More importantly I believe that these people become more attractive to others and can inspire others to be more than they thought was possible.
What would happen if we were more thankful for the experiences, lessons learnt and people around us? If we spent dedicated time sharing a meal with someone where we had a deep conversation that helped both of us gain valuable insights to want to make a positive dent in the world.
Take a moment to write down the names of 3 people that you are going to demonstrate that you are thankful for. It can be a past colleague or boss, community volunteer or a teacher that made a difference to you. Do something to let them know they are important to you and you are grateful.
Remember it is the little things and gestures that people remember and appreciate. And if we can get them to pass it on, we can create a positive impact much larger than ourselves. And maybe someday you will be the person that someone else is thankful for!
