With November days getting shorter, we find ourselves fast approaching the winter holidays’ festivities. In an ideal world, we would joyfully immerse ourselves in the season of love, gift giving, and celebration of life, but for many, this is the time when depression and anxiety sometimes hit the hardest. Of course, any signs of debilitating depression or severe anxiety are best treated by a qualified professional psychotherapist.
But, if you are just feeling overwhelmed, lonely or are temporarily feeling down because the holiday hustle & bustle is just too much, it may be helpful to remember that there is an anti-anxiety mechanism built into the season. It’s the very reason why we celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas and Chanukah as well as festivals of Light during these darkest winter months. The reason why we celebrate these holidays is to celebrate Love and Gratitude for that Love that has kept us alive to this very day. For who really knows what tomorrow may bring. It could bring joy, it could bring sorrow, but today, in this moment, we can celebrate Love. For the Present is a present for us all to experience life together as a family perhaps, as friends, as neighbors, as part of a community of humanity.
Thanksgiving is a season of recognizing and appreciating the gift we have been given. Food itself is a gift of Love that the Earth and our hard labor have bestowed upon us. Research has proven that expressing gratitude is truly therapeutic. An attitude of gratitude stimulates the production of helpful, “feel good” neurotransmitters in our brains, as well as natural endorphins that bring upliftment and good health to our entire body. An attitude of gratitude can easily change a person’s entire outlook on their life. Simply “counting our blessings” can lead to a more cheerful and positive perspective on life in which hope for the future and positivity can exist and thrive.
Gratitude promotes feelings of contentment; it helps us feel stronger positive emotions, it increases our resilience in light of so-called failures and obstacles. With this new found strength, we are more capable of building and maintaining healthy relationships with our family members and friends. Cultivating gratitude helps us refocus on what we have, rather than what we do not have. It sharpens our senses to detect what is truly important in our lives, and where we have to maybe refocus our attention. Personally, I am very grateful for the breath of life. To me, everything that follows having life’s breath is icing on the cake.
Expressing gratitude does not have to be an elaborate process. A simple 5 minute exercise will do. To start off, try thinking of only five things that you may feel thankful for. It could be something very simple, something little like a comfortable pair of slippers that brings some joy into your life. Or it could be something more profound like the continued health of a loved one. Some people like to start a gratitude journal, keeping track of the people, things and experiences they appreciate to help them feel more grounded in the present moment. Nothing is too small or meaningless to note. Truly, counting our blessings can only lead to making our lives feel richer and more meaningful.
Starting with Thanksgiving, and following all the holidays right through to the New Year at least, try a little “Attitude of Gratitude” to mix with the holiday celebration and cheer, and I can almost guarantee you will be happier and healthier for it.