Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. Sure, it is a lot of work for those who host and cook, but nothing compared to the extent of what happens the whole jam-packed month of Christmas, though. Also, don’t forget the winter months can be difficult on a person’s mental health, for several reasons, and flu season comes into play. So, it’s a good time to remember the Thanksgiving message of having gratitude in your heart for what you have.
My mother kept a plaque in her house that said, There Is Always Something To Be Grateful For. I keep a similar plaque in my laundry room. I have learned that during dark mental health days, a tool for turning my mood around is to seek what I am grateful for. There is actual science that affirms that intentionally focusing on gratitude can change the brain. Our thoughts have transformative power. Evidence says that gratitude practiced before bed helps you fall asleep faster. I remember Oprah as being the one who promoted the gratitude journal, and it almost became a religion in itself.
I am of the opinion that the mood-changing power of gratitude can make you a more generous person when you realize how blessed you are. Also, when you discover you have the power to change your mood/life from a simple redirection of focus, you fill yourself up with empowerment and see yourself differently. When you feel full like that, it’s easier to be generous and compassionate to others. When we give to others through a compassionate heart, we receive feedback that we have the power to change another’s life in the smallest, yet most important of ways. And when we give to others from that connection of fullness, our generosity positively enhances our view of ourselves.
Tips for filling yourself with gratitude:
- You guessed it; write it down. What you then pull out of your mind becomes more concrete. If you are having difficulty, start with the here and now. It could be as simple as feeling grateful you have hands to write with, or a mind that works well enough to record your thoughts. Move on to something further away — this past week, month, or year. As the list grows longer, take a moment whenever something significant pops up. Close your eyes and breathe into that specific memory. Feel the feelings connected to that scene that aligned with being grateful.
- Now proceed to life-changing events—events that took you from a bad place to something much better. Were you an agent of your own change after a nudge, or did you rely on outside forces? By making note of the ebbs and flows of life, you can acknowledge that life and yourself are constantly changing — especially when you own the agency over your own life that you possess. You will not stay stuck if you heed the nudges, the intuitive pulls, the doors that open to reveal possibilities you hadn’t seen before, or a person who enters your life to show you the way.
“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what one has into enough, and more. Gratitude can increase abundance and diminish fear.” ~ Melody Beattie
My Writer’s Journey: I am grateful that at my age, a publisher picked my book up. With 4.5 months since the book launch and feeling my life become out of balance with the time and expectations that go with marketing a book, I have had to give thought to how I want to move forward. There are hundreds of seminars, Zoom classes, marketing consultants, and directives from my publisher on how to get more sales, though I have also heard none of them give guaranteed results. Book sales are at an all-time low, and fewer people read full-size books. Big publishers are struggling, small ones are going out of business, and self-published authors are on the rise, hoping for a better profit margin and less gatekeeping. So, my approach will be to take the long, steady route. Take the steps to be what they call an “Evergreen book.” It’s a book that hangs around through slow, progressive discovery and word of mouth. Realistically, since there are 2.5 million books written per year and books are being pirated by other countries in mass, my chances of the spotlight are slim. Yet, I believe in what More Than Luck has to offer readers. So, I am not willing to drop thousands into a marketing campaign. This choice gives me peace of mind and frees up time to write my next book. That’s what brings me joy.
You can help me in this process by getting the word out if you enjoyed my book and think others might as well. Help me gain visibility by recommending it to a friend, ordering it from the library, writing an Amazon review, gifting it to a friend or family member, or recommending it to someone who attends a book club. I would appreciate your kindness.
****Reminder/Disclaimer: This newsletter is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for mental health assistance. Life is tough; there is no shame in asking for help during hard times. If you feel the desire to harm yourself or someone else, call 800-273-TALK or 988. A resource for online counseling is https://ourtherapyjourney.com/
