Make it a grateful day: 5 Ways To Celebrate World Gratitude Day
Sept. 21 is World Gratitude Day. First celebrated in 1965, it was later officially adopted by the United Nations Meditation Group and is recognized each year as a day to show appreciation for all things, big and small. Living a grateful life is like any other habit. It takes time to cultivate positive actions and attitudes into our daily lives. But, with commitment, you wake up one morning and realize that you see all the good around you. It’s all in how you choose to look at things.
Here are five suggestions to make this day count.
- Appreciate Your family-Today, take a moment to pause and give thanks to your family members for all the good they bring into your life. Tell your siblings how much you appreciate the support they give you, tell your spouse how it feels to be connected and loved. Tell your kids how proud you are of them.
- Be thankful for your community-From the server at your local restaurant, the firemen, the policemen, the garbage man, to the nurse, and the butcher. I give thanks to the people who perform duties that keep us safe and make our lives easier. And beyond that, give thanks to the volunteers and countless people who give of themselves with no expectation of recognition or thanks. Where would we be without them?
- Give Yourself a little love – Truly the foundation of a grateful life is giving thanks for the beauty within us. Look at your life with understanding and loving eyes. Stop beating yourself up, and give thanks for each breath, each heartbeat. Give thanks today for your life. You are beautiful.
- Use social media to promote positivity – You can choose to have your social media forum be a voice of positivity. Start today. Compliment others, share links for local businesses that really go the extra mile, post pictures of the beauty of nature, and make the choice to send out a positive ripple.
- The biggest way for you to celebrate World Gratitude Day? Recognize that you don’t have to wait another 364 days to celebrate it again. Make this a daily practice in your life. Buy a gratitude journal. Begin and end each day with a deep cleansing breath and a prayer of thanks for life itself.