Have a Gratitude Circle

Instead of just another holiday party, have friends over and state what you are grateful for in the world and about each other. Take note!

Reach Out

The holidays can be an intensely lonely time. I remember when I first arrived in San Francisco and really had nowhere to go. Kindly folks invited me to Thanksgiving and Christmas, and I made new friends, ate marvelous dinners, and was so grateful. I try to do the same now that I have a home I can share. Look around and see whom you can invite over. This is a lovely tradition among my group of friends and is, I truly believe, what the holidays are really supposed to be about.

How to Have an Attitude of Gratitude

1. Be grateful and recognise 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 on your blog, or send individual emails to friends, family, or 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 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.

Have a Gratitude Circle

Instead of just another holiday party, have friends over and state what you are grateful for in the world and about each other. Take note!

Acknowledge Excellence

    Did you have a helpful or enthusiastic waiter at the last restaurant you went to? Call and tell the manager about the great experience you had. Do you still think about a college professor that impacted you? Write them a letter to thank them. Many jobs are thankless jobs, so remember how good it feels to be thought of and appreciated, even years later. Also, telling your friends and family about your good experiences with these people can help their business flourish.

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 on your blog, or send individual emails to friends, family, or 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 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.

Muchas Gracias

    I learned from my globetrotting friend Santosh that one of the nicest things a traveler 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 phrase of all. His guide to global gratitude is below:

Arabic: Shukran

Czech: Dekuji

Danish: Tak

Dutch: Dank u

Estonian:Tanan teid

Filipino: Salamat

Finnish: Kiitos

French: Merci

German: Danke

Hungarian: Koszonom

Indonesian: Terima kasih

Irish: Go raibh maith agat

Italian: Grazie

Japanese: Arigato

Latvian: Paldies

Norwegian: Takk

Polish: Dziekuje

Portuguese: Obrigado

Romanian: Multumesc

Spanish: Gracias

Swahili: Asante

Swedish: Tack

Vietnamese: Cam o’n ban

Welsh: Diolch yn fawr

Be a Freecycler

    For me, the coolest of the online free resource sites is Freecycle (freecycle.org). The Freecycle Network initiation started in Tuscon in 2003, when Deron Beal sent out the first email to 30 or so friends and local nonprofits letting them know about the items he had to give away. Freecycle now has 4,738 groups worldwide and an amazing 6,690,000 members. Just think about how many wonderful free treasures have changed hands and the sheer tonnage saved from landfill. Bravo, Mr. Beal!

    Freecycle's mission is to save good stuff from the landfill, promote environmental sustainability, and imbue life with the spirit of generosity, creating stronger local communities in the process.

    The steps to join a Freecycle group are straightforward. If there isn't a group in your area yet, you can start one. Once you have joined your local group, you can begin to post messages for what you want and what you have to offer. Freecycle is administered by volunteers and has the advantage of not needing a physical location- Freecycle's easy-to-use listing website makes it nearly effortless to use. Some posts are for significant items such as computers, bicycles, television, stereos, and even cars. Offering your surplus and finding what you need for free are both gratifying experiences, and ultimately, they alleviate a lot of stress on our precious planet.

No Strings Attached

    Write down the things that someone has given you, no strings attached, for which you are grateful. It can be an old sofa, some sound advice, a spare mask or hand sanitizer, or a lift to the airport. Now list ten things you would like to give someone yourself, and see how many of those things you can cross off a week. 

    Examples:

    *Drive a friend to the airport

    *Carry groceries for an elder to their car

    *Babysit for a relative

    *Buy a friend a cup of coffee

    *Volunteer at a soup kitchen or covid clinic

Have a Gratitude Circle

     Instead of just another holiday party, have friends over and state what you are grateful for in the world and about each other. Take note!