Transform common days into thanksgiving

​“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.”
 William Arthur Ward
 
We are looking forward to celebrating the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends. Many may wonder about the difficulty to focus on being thankful at this time in this particular year. I know this thought has entered my mind. The year 2020 has presented us with many challenges carrying us into uncharted waters. The following is an excerpt from the message by Rev. Thomas Shepherd in his article Feeling Grateful in All Things that made me aware that things could be worse.​

The First Thanksgiving in America.
“The Winter of 1620-21 devastated the Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts. Half of its population died from disease and malnutrition. In spite of the harsh conditions, the remaining settlers gathered with their Native-American neighbors to thank the Great Spirit for a harvest to see them through the coming winter. Even when outer circumstances are grim, like the cold winter, and other trials of our ancestors or the global pandemic we have been facing as a human community, (fires, hurricanes, floods) it is still possible to feel gratitude and give thanks.” 

In the coming few weeks I am preparing to see our gathering as one that is focused on what we are thankful for and not about the present problems of our world we live in. To do this I am continuing my practice of journaling what I am grateful for in my life today. The key to the success of this practice is to have a notebook open and ready to jot down a few things that have happened in your life that may have inspired you to live life to the fullest. If this is not yet a practice of yours, you may want to give it a try from now until Thanksgiving.
 
There are many things we take for granted in life every day. Unfortunately, we are so influenced by the negativity of social media that it becomes a practice to pass on this negativity in our conversations with others. It has become our reality because we may believe this is the only time in history that it has been this bad. That is why I shared the quote from Rev. Shepard with you.
 
Once the pandemic became a reality and so many restrictions were placed on us I
got so caught up in the tragedy of this event and I allowed it to block any positive ideas to share. I received several calls asking me why I stopped writing a post for my blog. Finally yesterday in a hypnotherapy session the message came to me again that I am blessed with my positive approach to life and I need to share it with others. I am once again posting on my blog. I am grateful for the encouragement and support I have received from family and friends.