Dad's Big Day

    On June 19, 1910, the governor of the state of Washington proclaimed the nation’s first Father’s Day. However, it was not until 1972, 58 years after President Woodrow Wilson made Mother’s Day official, that the day became a nationwide holiday in the United States. Celebrate your father today by making him feel special and loved with a homemade gift or meal. For your friends who may have lost their father, check in with them as this day may be difficult. Perhaps you can connect them with the many “rad dads” at senior centers who are elders with wonderful stories and few family members.

Thanksgiving: Count Your Blessings #HappyThanksgiving

Thanksgiving Day brings families and friends together in a celebration of gratitude. 

However, it is also a time for reflection and for giving back to your community and to those less fortunate. Millions of people across the America could use a little helping hand and especially now. The oldest and largest national origination dedicated to assisting local, community-based seniors, Meals On Wheels has made delivering daily meals directly to Golden Ager’s its mission – deliveries that wouldn’t be made without strong network of 5,000-plus community programs and countless, countless volunteers. www.mowaa.org is in many communities so find the one near you and get involved. I drove for a hospice food delivery service and the people are so appreciative that I always felt I got more out of that they did. One other good group to go more global in your giving is Convoy Of Hope:  Go to http://www.convoyofhope.org/ and find out what you can do to help end world hunger. We are here to help others and this one of the best-ever ways.

How to Have an Attitude Of Gratitude

Here are some inspired ideas for all year, not just Thanksgiving!

 

1. Be grateful and recognize the things others have done to help you.

2. When you say, “Thank you,” to someone, it signals what you appreciate and why you appreciate it.

3. Post a “Thank you to all” on your Facebook page or your blog, or send individual e-mails to friends, family, and colleagues.

4. Send a handwritten thank-you note. These are noteworthy because so few of us take time to write and mail them.

5. Think thoughts of gratitude—two or three good things that happened today—and notice calm settle through your head, at least for a moment. It activates a part of the brain that floods the body with endorphins, or feel-good hormones.

6. Remember the ways your life has been made easier or better because of others’ efforts. Be aware of and acknowledge the good things, large and small, going on around you.

7. Keep a gratitude journal or set aside time each day or evening to list the people or things you’re grateful for today. The list may start out short, but it will grow as you notice more of the good things around you.

8. Being grateful shakes you out of self-absorption and helps you recognize those who’ve done wonderful things for you. Expressing that gratitude continues to draw those people into your sphere.

9. Remember this thought from Maya Angelou: “When you learn, teach; when you get, give.”

10. Join forces to do good. If you have survived illness or loss, you may want to reach out to others to help as a way of showing gratitude for those who reached out to you.

Make Time for Gratitude Every Day

We are living in a meaner time right now but we don't have to. Look for kindness.

 

When we begin a daily practice of recognizing the positive events that occur and the pleasant encounters we have with others, we start noticing more things to be thankful as the days pass. Perhaps it's someone who holds the door for you at the supermarket, the nice conversation you have with a stranger while at the coffee shop, or a hug with someone you love. These are the small moments, and often the ones we forget. Savor their beauty and what they tell you about humankind—that we do live amongst many good people.

Speak the Language of Kindness

Muchas gracias; there are so many ways to say thank you. Try them all!

 

I learned from my globetrotting friend, Santosh that one of the nicest things a traveller can do is to learn how to say the basics in the language of the locals. He stressed that saying THANK YOU is the MOST important word of all.  His guide to global gratitude is below:

Czech: Děkuji

Danish: Tak

Dutch: Dank u

Estonian: Tänan teid

Filipino: Salamat

Finnish: Kiitos

French: Merci

Gaelic: Go raibh maith agat

German: Danke

Hungarian: Köszönöm

Indonesian: Terima kasih

Italian: Grazie

Japanese: Arigato

Latvian: Paldies

Norwegian: Takk

Polish: Dziękuję

Portuguese: Obrigado

Romanian: Mulţumesc

Spanish: Gracias

Swahili: Asante

Swedish: Tack

Vietnamese: Cảm ơn bạn

Welsh: Diolch yn fawr

Operation Gratitude: Those Who Serve

Giving and gratitude go hand in hand; what can offer that will make someone's day?

I learned about his from my mom whose church regularly sends cards letters and care packages overseas to the armed forces. My mom and her fellow church ladies bake some of the best cookies in the world so they gather up all kinds of goodies and treats and send them overseas where the taste of “down home” surely brings many smiles of satisfaction. Those who are less gifted in the baking department, such as ME, can make $15 donation to Operation Gratitude, which pays for one care package for one serviceperson. Operation Gratitude has end over a million of these kindness kits around the world!

Catch People Doing Something Right (and Make Sure They Know It!)

During difficult transitions, our natural tendency is often to contract and grow rigid. In this state we seem to only be able to focus on the negatives. We think about the despair and torment of the death of a loved one, but not the wonderful moments spent together. We think of the heartbreak of a relationship ending, but not of the exhilaration and freedom of being unattached. We might even scold our loved ones, or our friends, or coworkers for something minor or insignificant when we wallow in such negativity. But it is in these moments specifically that gratitude can be used to alter this way of thinking.

Finding positives and accentuating them is the easiest way to turn those proverbial frowns upside down and gray skies back to blue. Try catching someone doing something right for a change, not something wrong. Giving praise for a job well done lift all parties involved and is the easiest way to say, “Thank You,” without actually having to say it.

Thanksgiving: Count Your Blessings

Thanksgiving Day brings families and friends together in a celebration of gratitude and thanks. However, it is also a time for reflection and for giving back to your community and to those less fortunate. Millions of people across the America could use a little helping hand and especially now. The oldest and largest national origination dedicated to assisting local, community-based seniors, Meals On Wheels has made delivering daily meals directly to Golden Ager’s its mission – deliveries that wouldn’t be made without strong network of 5,000-plus community programs and countless, countless volunteers. www.mowaa.org is in many communities so find the one near you and get involved. I drove for a hospice food delivery service and the people are so appreciative that I always felt I got more out of that they did. One other good group to go more global in your giving is Convoy Of Hope:  Go to http://www.convoyofhope.org/ and find out what you can do to help end world hunger. We are here to help others and this one of the best-ever ways. 

How to Have an Attitude Of Gratitude

1. Be grateful and recognize the things others have done to help you.

2. When you say, “Thank you,” to someone, it signals what you appreciate and why you appreciate it.

3. Post a “Thank you to all” on your Facebook page or your blog, or send individual e-mails to friends, family, and colleagues.

4. Send a handwritten thank-you note. These are noteworthy because so few of us take time to write and mail them.

5. Think thoughts of gratitude—two or three good things that happened today—and notice calm settle through your head, at least for a moment. It activates a part of the brain that floods the body with endorphins, or feel-good hormones.

6. Remember the ways your life has been made easier or better because of others’ efforts. Be aware of and acknowledge the good things, large and small, going on around you.

7. Keep a gratitude journal or set aside time each day or evening to list the people or things you’re grateful for today. The list may start out short, but it will grow as you notice more of the good things around you.

8. Being grateful shakes you out of self-absorption and helps you recognize those who’ve done wonderful things for you. Expressing that gratitude continues to draw those people into your sphere.

9. Remember this thought from Maya Angelou: “When you learn, teach; when you get, give.”

10. Join forces to do good. If you have survived illness or loss, you may want to reach out to others to help as a way of showing gratitude for those who reached out to you.