Wednesday's Words and Thursday's Thoughts: the American Thanksgiving Holiday
?? Susan Rooks ?? The Grammar Goddess
Editor/Proofreader: I help nonfiction writers and podcasters (& their guests) look and sound as smart as they are.??Cruciverbalist?? BIZCATALYST 360° Columnist????The Oxford Comma????Dog Rescuer??Spunky Old Broad??
Tomorrow, November 26, 2015, is the time we Americans celebrate our Thanksgiving Day. We deliberately set aside one day to reflect on our thankfulness for our lives, for our families, for our friends -- for everything that is good about living here in America and in this world.
But. Why only one day? I'm serious. If we're alive, breathing, smiling, hugging, loving, giving and receiving pleasure . . .
WHY ONLY ON ONE DAY DO WE RECOGNIZE THIS?
Humans now can live to 100 years, and in that time we experience millions of ways to feel gratitude. Why do we only focus on it one day a year?
Why do negative thoughts so easily sway us the other 364 days -- and even on Thanksgiving? Why is it so hard to realize the miracle our lives are?
I read an article recently with an interesting idea built in, and I'm sharing it so you might decide it would be good for your life, too. The author mentioned losing track of the gratitude she felt so often, so she decided to write one idea down every day and put it into what she called her "gratitude jar." She said she starts on January 1 of each year, but why wait?
Start today!
There are even health studies to show us the benefits of feeling gratitude, thankfulness, contentment -- here's one I found today.
So my challenge on this day, November 25, 2015 -- one day before Thanksgiving, is to consciously focus on what makes me happy. On the good, wonderful, spectacular things in my life, no matter how mundane they may appear to be.
As President Abraham Lincoln famously said:
I hope you will all find at least ONE thing each day that you're grateful for, write it down, and put it somewhere visible. Fill your jar with slips of love, gratitude, thankfulness, happiness, contentment. On those days when the world seems less rosy, look at the slips in the jar. Pull one or many out and remind yourself of your wonderful life.
What are YOU grateful for today?
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In case you missed these . . .
Two Weeks Ago
Monday Grammar Checkup, November 9: When is a Question not a Question? Tuesday's Tricksters, November 10
Wednesday's Words & Woes: Oh! Oh! Oh!
This is Friday Funday, November 13!
Last Week
Monday Grammar Checkup, November 16:
Stubborn Old Myths That Need to go Away!
Tuesday's Tricksters, November 17
Thursday's Thoughts: Making a Difference
If you learned something in these posts,
please share them with your network.
Help others learn, too!
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As an international corporate trainer, I have worked worldwide for 20 years teaching American grammar (in the U.S.), business writing, and a variety of interpersonal communication skills workshops. I am also a copy editor and proofreader, mainly of business-related materials. My home base is in Massachusetts, but I will travel anywhere to help business professionals look and sound as smart as they are.
My blogs are all on my Web site, GrammarGoddess.com, where they’re grouped by categories so you can easily choose which to read first. I hope you find many to enjoy and learn from.
PhD, MPhil, PGD, BSc, Chem.Tech. Eng, Text. Tech, C.Text ATI, C.Col SDC, Diplomate SDC ~ The University of Leeds
9 年I am Greatful Susan Rooks (The Grammar Goddess) for having come across a lovely person like yourself who lead us towards good deeds in life.! 'Thanks for being just like that'
Product Marketing Manager @ Berkshire Corporation | Marketing Communications | Writer | Connector
9 年I really enjoyed this Susan Rooks (The Grammar Goddess) and I am grateful for being able to read it, and the gentle reminder that each day is a gift. Thank you for sharing this. I'm also grateful for family and friends who love and support me - without them this journey would be a lot more challenging. Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving and may it be filled with many happy moments to reflect on!
Communication & Leadership Training & Speaker Coaching
9 年What a great post! Susan, every evening I close out my day by posting three things that went well that day on my Facebook page. This daily practice started the answer to a challenge by Roland Jarka, Ph.D. who I heard speak. He said, "If you want to reduce the stress in your life, write down three things that went well every night for a week and see what happens." I decided to do it on Facebook and did. At the end of the week, I felt so good and complete at the end of each day, I vowed to do it for a full year. At the end of that year, I vowed to do it every night for the rest of my life. The difference has been so dramatic, especially on those days when it seems nothing is going right, ir the worst has happened...at the end of the day, I stop and reflect, and BOOM! I still find at least three things that went well. Being present to what went well and gratitude on a daily basis has had a profound effect on my experience of living and my happiness. Happy Thanksgiving every day!
Observer of People, Places and Things
9 年Well done. In a world where emotional sensationalism and anger drive us in this direction and that direction, there is so much to be thankful and grateful for. Appreciate you reminding us that we can take back our intellectual agility and revel in the goodness of it all, express that to ourselves and others, and in doing so make the world a better place, one person-one step at a time. A heartfelt thanks to you Susan for posting this reminder to us all.