This is the season when our hearts and minds turn to gratitude. Thanksgiving is a holiday centered on gratitude, but the feeling continues through Christmas and as we look into the New Year. Hopefully we practice gratitude all year long as a part of our happiness practice.
Gratitude can change your life!
Gratitude is a powerful tool to reframing the way you see your life, even when going through hard times. Studies show that a simple daily practice of writing down a few items you are grateful for each morning and night has a profound impact on your happiness. Some keep a gratitude journal, others practice grateful meditations, and others say grateful prayers as they seek to cultivate the attribute- and dare we say- habit, in their lives.
They say that you will find what you look for, so as we look for blessings in our lives and reasons we have to be grateful, we will find them! This is not always easy and takes practice, just like so many other happiness skills. As we focus on making gratitude a habit, we can truly change the way we see our situations in life. We become more aware of the good things and crowd out some of the negative, destructive thoughts that want to take up residence in our brains instead.
Play Theory and Gratitude Go Hand in Hand!
Practicing Play Theory ties in with gratitude! As we are present in the moment, we can be grateful for the simple things- the smell of food, the feel of the crisp autumn air, the beauty of the season. We can experience real connection with the people we are with, making us more grateful for those relationships. As we are present, we are able to let go of regrets and fears that block our gratitude and happiness.Pla
When we practice accept and build, we find that instead of fighting against things we can’t control, we can see the good in them and try to improve upon them. Acceptance allows us to feel and experience gratitude even in challenging situations, and likewise, focusing on gratitude can help us better accept. For instance, if you are feeling bummed that you can’t be with family for Thanksgiving, finding gratitude for the friend who is welcoming you to their celebration can help you accept the situation and the invitation. Maybe you’ll even build and bring a few of your favorite Thanksgiving traditions. Or, if accept and build comes first, you can determine to accept the reality of not being with your family and instead build it by inviting someone to YOUR house to celebrate. Gratitude will flow as these connections allow you to let go of the disappointment and focus on something positive.
Feeling grateful often motivates us to look outward and ask ourselves how we can help someone else. It helps us notice the struggles of others rather than just dwelling on our own. And when we look outward to lift someone else, we feel better ourselves, and are more likely to see the things in our own lives that are reasons to be grateful.
Play Theory Can Make Your Holidays Brighter
So, we hope you’ll have a slice of gratitude this week along with your slice of pie! Be present in your gratitude and notice how good it feels. Adding gratitude to your Play Theory happiness practice is a win all around. And as we jump from Thanksgiving into the busy holiday season, let Play Theory principles ground you and enrich all of the preparations and celebrations that fill up your December. As you practice Be Present, Let Go and Play, Accept and Build, and Look Outward, you’ll find this is your happiest December yet!
Happy Thanksgiving!
