By Becky MacLean
I love October; autumn is well underway, it is harvest time, Halloween happens, and there’s a holiday to spend with family and friends. It’s no wonder we take time to reflect on the things for which we are thankful. At YACC we’re calling it by another name and focusing this month on gratitude.
Gratitude is defined as the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. Perhaps you have seen the challenges in social media. Both Facebook and The Huffington Post have versions. The premise is to express three or more things for which you are thankful every day for a week or more. The idea is to encourage people to acknowledge the good things in their life, and to inspire others to the same.
I’ve done the challenge, it was an uplifting experience. On days that weren’t great, the challenge meant putting that away for a few minutes so I could focus on something better. On days that were already good to begin with, I got to relive a moment from the day or amp myself up by thinking of other things I was jazzed about. I wrote my things down and put them out there for others to see, challenge complete. Or was it?
The challenge had got me thinking. There is always something to be thankful for. There are certainly days that it can be, and there are going to be days where some of these things are repeats. That is okay, it happens. Perhaps the true challenge is in how we express this gratitude. After all, gratitude is also the readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. Writing down is only one, very literal way, to show it. What are other ways to express gratitude? It could be a gesture such as saying “Thank you” to a bus driver, or buying your cat a new treat or toy because they are a really good at cuddling. Maybe taking a garbage bag to your favorite park and picking up litter, or doing something kind for a friend because you are thankful to be a part of their life.
Becky’s latest challenge
I invite you to join me in a new Gratitude Challenge. For one week, write down three ways that you expressed gratitude. Keep it to yourself, or choose to share it with others on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter with #YACCGratitude. Meet back here in one week and I’ll share my experience with you, see you soon.
Check out the follow up!
