Things You Can Do To Feel Thankful This Thanksgiving Season

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, the bustle of the holiday season is looming. There is cleaning to be done, dinners to be planned, and family to invite over. Then there are gifts to be bought and more festivities to be planned. With all the activity, it is sometimes hard to fit in the thankfulness that you should really be focused on this November. Here are five things to do to help you feel more thankful all season long.

Keep a thankful journal. Whether it is on your computer or in a notebook, take a few minutes each day to write down what you are thankful for in your life. It could be anything from finding that missing earring back to winning three dollars on a scratch ticket to having good health. Just jot down the good things you have, and you will be amazed at your change in perspective. This is a good habit to keep all year.

Take a little quiet time each day. Have a cup of tea or a pumpkin flavored latte, and enjoy some silence. Turn off the television and radio. Think of how lucky you are for even the small things in your life. If you have more than a minute, share your beverage with a family member and have a quiet chat with them . Do not argue or be controversial. Talk about happy things in your life, now and in the past.

Take a walk in nature. The brisk (or wet or freezing) air will heighten your senses. At the very least, you will be grateful to get back into your warm house. Just be careful and bundle up. Frostbite and stuffy noses are hard to be thankful for.

Have a day of simple living. Eat only simple meals of bread and soup, avoid spending any money, and stay close to home. If you have to work, then go straight from home to work and back to home. There are so many distractions with things to buy and places to go that we often end up stressed out and forgetting what is really important.

Spend time with those who are less fortunate than you. It could be a weekend of building houses, a Saturday working at a homeless shelter, or an hour visiting with that lonely senior citizen down the street. Realizing how good you have it can be humbling, but it will change your perspective, and you will definitely bring some sunshine into someone else's day.

With the bustle of the holidays, it is so important to be thankful for the little things (and the big things, too) in your life. Take some time to be quiet and thankful this season, and you will notice a difference in the way you celebrate these special times.