Lifestyle

Why We Shouldn't Save Our Thanks And Gratitude For Thanksgiving

by Zach Hynoski

Thanksgiving -- one of the greatest American traditions of all time. We feast on great food, spend time with family and friends, and get the opportunity to stuff our faces with zero guilt or judgment being passed.

More importantly, we get the chance to say our thanks for the people, the opportunities and everything else going well in our lives. It’s always nice to see people expressing their gratitude towards one another and for the blessings in their lives, as well as reflect on our own.

At the moment, I’m studying abroad in England where Thanksgiving isn’t celebrated, let alone acknowledged. Not taking part in the holiday as I normally do is certainly strange, but it’s undoubtedly made me look at things differently.

Seeing friends do the “Thanksgiving Challenge” on social media by posting something they’re thankful for each day of the month is pretty neat. It’s cool to see what people are thankful for and the positivity they have in their lives. My thing is, though, why don’t we do this more often?

“We must find time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives.” - John F. Kennedy 

Gratitude works wonders for the human mind, on both the giving and receiving end. Scientific research has shown that thanking the people we’re grateful for drastically boosts happiness for everyone involved.

People who wrote a letter of gratitude to someone and shared it with that person experienced a large, sudden boost in positive feelings. These people were even happier and less depressed for up to one month after doing so.

A few months back, we posted a video from the good people over at SoulPancake who proved this, and the results were pretty remarkable.

So, why do we wait until Thanksgiving Day to show our thanks? Shouldn’t it be more than just a one-day-event? Expressing gratitude and thanks helps strengthen our relationships with others, making everyone happier.

Once in a while, it’s nice to be told that you’ve helped someone out. Feeling loved, valued and appreciated is an awesome, indescribable emotion, which everyone should experience.

Next time you’re thinking about how much you appreciate a friend or someone you love, tell him or her. Give this person a ring on the phone. Shoot him or her a text. Write him or her a letter. Better yet, go tell this person exactly how you feel face-to-face.

Everyone deserves to feel loved and appreciated. Thanksgiving is the perfect time to reflect and give our thanks to all the great things and people in our lives, but that’s something we should get in the habit of doing more often. Thanksgiving is a beautiful day, but let’s make it last more than just 24 hours.

“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.” - Cicero

Top Photo Credit: Shutterstock