You might already know that having a gratitude practice is super important for your mental health. It can do so much to improve our day to day lives, especially as tired, busy mamas. Maybe you already keep a gratitude journal or are sure to have your kids absolutely always send thank you notes. Those are two things I regularly practice and they still remain so important. But maybe you have made a gratitude turkey with your kids more times than you can count and you are looking for new ways to express thankfulness this holiday season. Here are a few ideas to keep your gratitude practice fresh!
Make it public.
My gratitude practice changed last year when instead of doing a traditional “thankful tree” or “thankful pumpkin” that only our family saw on a daily basis, we created a display of thankfulness in the large window at the front of our house. It meant we could share our thankfulness for essential workers with the UPS and USPS workers making deliveries to our house and we saw how it cheered up our neighbors to see the display. That really revitalized our Thanksgiving season.
Make it secret.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, you can freshen up your gratitude practice by showing thankfulness in an anonymous way. Send an anonymous note or postcard to someone you are thankful for, or drop off a gift card or small treat for a teacher or friend and make a game out of trying not to get caught, just knowing that you got to cheer up their day without expecting anything in return can be a rush of goodness!
Make it edible!
Whether you are expressing your gratitude by delivering a sweet treat to someone, or else decorating a cake with a thankfulness list, sometimes making it edible is the perfect way to sweeten your gratitude practice.
Make it digital.
If you feel like gratitude crafts and journals are taking up too much space in your house, try making it digital. You can do this publicly with a blog post, or your social media to share the joy. You can also do this with a small group of friends or family via a text chain, which is something my MOPS (Mothers Of Preschoolers) group did last year when we were meeting virtually. You can also make this a totally personal exercise with something like a notes app or ongoing google doc.
I hope your gratitude practice is extra enriching during this time leading up to Thanksgiving, but I really hope you find something you want to keep doing long after the holidays are over!
