This year’s holidays are different from any holidays that I can ever remember. Usually, Thanksgiving would be the start of a period of reflection and a conscious effort to be grateful. This year, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s difficult to think of much that we are thankful for.  But, as the year ends, staying positive and nurturing your well-being is important by finding new ways to be grateful during the holidays. 

Missing out on the holiday traditions may leave you feeling glum but looking past the big picture to recognize the small details is sure to bring some holiday cheer back into your day. Unusual circumstances call for innovative ideas for ways to be grateful and ways to express that gratitude to others. The seemingly simple and often overlooked things can be the ones that bring us the most joy. 

Simple things we can be grateful for every day. 

• A roof over your head
• Food on the table
• Sunshine 
• Birds singing outside
• The smell of the trees in the woods
• A slower pace
• Sunset
• Laughter
• More moments shared together 
• Family and friends
• Your health 

Why Gratitude is Good for your health. 

The holidays are filled with gratitude, which has been shown to help build resilience – just what we all need at the end of a tough year!  People who practice intentional gratitude benefit from the following:

• Improved physical health as you are likely to exercise more and eat a healthier diet. 
• Improved psychological health as you enjoy higher well-being and happiness and suffer from reduced symptoms of depression.
• Better sleep. Practicing gratitude regularly can help you sleep longer and better.
• Enhanced self-esteem is partly due to your ability to appreciate other people’s accomplishments.
• Increased mental strength with an advantage in overcoming trauma and enhanced resilience in stressful situations.
• An improved immune system, according to the American Heart Association. 
• Lower risk for mental health issues such as major depression, generalized anxiety disorder, and substance dependence and abuse, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
• Dealing better with stress as you focus on positive emotions, according to the National Institutes of Health.

8 New Ways To Be Grateful During The Holidays

1. Start a gratitude journal. Write a sentence a day on what you’re grateful for. Be specific and very detailed. The more you pay attention to the details, the more you notice positive things in your life.
2. Write your holiday cards. Create your own cards, and instead of getting something printed on the card, write it yourself. Why not add some drawings as well? Feel like a kid again.
3. Send a virtual care package. Social distancing and self-quarantining mean you can’t get together to hug in person, but you can send photos and silly video clips you kept on your phone and spark a smile.
4. Find a way to give back. Reach out to those organizations or people that matter to you and find out how you can give back, whether making a donation or volunteering in a way that’s safe during COVID.
5. Gratitude jar. Every day, think of three things throughout your day that you are grateful for. It can be anything from loving your coffee to your incredible love for another human being. If you are ever feeling down and need a quick pick-me-up, take a few notes out of the jar to remind yourself of who and what is good in your life.
6. Mindful eating. The practice of being present and enjoying the ritual of eating.
7. Exercise mindfully. Yoga, Pilates, seated stretching, and Meditation are fantastic ways to exercise mindfully. Get inspired by some of my YouTube videos or exercise along with me in the Fearlessly Fit Over 50 Club.
8. Practice mindful breathing. Simple breathing exercises can work wonders. If you haven’t tried it, here’s how: Sit or lay in a comfortable position, start by breathing in for 4 counts, then hold your breath for 4 counts, exhale for 4 counts, and start again. Breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth without any effort. Feeling super relaxed. Do that for about 3 -5 minutes in a quiet space whenever you have time.

Why We Need Gratitude Now

In times of crisis, it’s important to stay connected to others, and among its many other benefits, gratitude can help with this, too. The National Alliance on Mental Illness reports that people who practice gratitude are more: 

• Generous and helpful
• Likely to offer emotional support 
• They are likely to share their possessions
• Willing to forgive others

How to develop your own daily gratitude practice

Gratitude can be learned like any habit building. Set aside a few minutes each to INTENTIONALLY find ways to be grateful and methods of expressing that gratitude.

Sit down, take a moment, and write in your journal:

• One thing you did well that day
• One thing that’s going well in your life
• Three things you enjoy (anything)
• Two people you love and that you want to give that love back to 

And if you find yourself saying that you have nothing to be grateful for, try thinking about all the little things you have.