ThanksLiving: Living with a Gratitude Attitude...In Spite of the Circumstances
You've got the power and it's all in how you consider things.
”ThanksLiving is carrying gratitude into every moment—not just for what you have, but for the lessons, challenges, and growth that life offers in the midst of the darkness of struggle, fear, and doubt. It’s living each day recognizing silver linings as thank-you notes to the universe.”
~Mindshift Musings
Happy ThanksGiving!
I thought I’d do a little reflecting on this time of year heading into the holiday season since ThanksGiving is the gateway to the larger season, although the 4th of July seems to be giving Thanksgiving a run for it’s money anymore.
In this post, I’ve provided a buffet of some of my favorite Thanksgiving staples of perspectives, quotes, videos, & songs for you to sample. I hope you find something helpful, fun, poignant, or just plain silly as you move through this post.
The Holiday Season: A Time to Reflect, Grow, and Shift
As we sit here on Thanksgiving eve and begin moving into the official start of the holiday season, it's natural to feel a whirlwind of emotions.
For some, it’s a time of joy and togetherness.
For others, it might bring feelings of loneliness, health struggles, or the sting of memories that highlight the loss of people that we have loved…and still do.
Wherever we find ourselves this season, it’s essential to take a moment to pause and pay attention—not just to our thoughts, but also to how we feel physically and mentally over these next many days and weeks, as the body often whispers truths before the mind can process them. These realizations will lead into my next upcoming essay.
Do we feel tense, tired, or weighed down after a big meal? What can we do so we don’t feel that way next time?
Are we energized by certain interactions while being drained by others? Let’s consciously pay attention and log these realizations so we can learn from them.
These physical cues are important guideposts as we navigate the next several weeks of the season. Food and health go hand in hand, and this time of year challenges many of us to maintain balance while surrounded by indulgence.
How will we do?
It’s important to try to use this period not just to reflect on how food impacts our health, but also as a metaphor for what we’re feeding our souls, especially in relationship to others.
Are we nourishing ourselves with positivity, gratitude, and light—or are we overindulging in fear, resentment, or criticism of self and others?
Remember…where our attention goes, energy flows.
The Energy We Bring to the World
If we’ve been complaining about life and wishing things were different, here’s a question to consider…
What are we going to do differently?
It’s not just the outside world that changes us; it’s also who we are that influences and changes the outside world. The energy we bring to every encounter energetically ripples outward.
Are we approaching situations with high hopes and clear intentions, even in the midst of life’s storms?
Or do we crumble at the first sign of resistance and criticism, consumed by insecurities and fears that may never materialize?
Our minds are powerful creators. They can conjure up worst-case scenarios that paralyze us…or…envision hopeful possibilities that propel us forward. The choice is ours.
Dark times, as painful as they may be, are often fertile ground for personal and collective growth.
Uncomfortable feelings—grief, fear, uncertainty—are not signals to stop, but invitations to transform. If most of us didn’t face discomfort, we’d never change, and even worse, we’d never grow.
Growth is not a gentle process; it’s messy, challenging, and often deeply uncomfortable. But that discomfort is the very evidence that something is changing as our trajectory shifts in another direction.
Gratitude: A Compass in Dark Times
Amidst the chaos, challenges, fears, and confusions, let’s take a moment to bless what is in our lives. Bless the light and joyful moments that uplift us.
But just as importantly, bless the dark and difficult times, for they are the sculptors of our character. The struggle might feel endless in this moment, but it’s often a trajectory change, guiding us to the next best version of ourselves. This perspective can fuel us on when we don’t know that we can make it otherwise.
As we move through this holiday season, we should ask ourselves the following:
How are we showing up?
What kind of energy are we reflecting in the world?
What do our actions and words say about what we stand for?
The answers to these questions don’t just define our holiday spirit—they shape the foundation of the life that we’re building conscious decision by conscious decision.
Baby Steps
We don’t have to make monumental changes overnight to shift the circumstances of our lives. Subtle course corrections can have profound impacts over time.
Maybe it’s something as small as making a conscious choice to greet frustration with curiosity instead of anger. Maybe we decide to pause before responding in a heated moment. Perhaps we begin each day with a moment of gratitude, even if it’s just for the roof over our head or the breath in our lungs, as some are even struggling with those things that we often take for granted.
Heading into 2025, let’s consider adopting some different energetic perspectives, as the world we experience is a reflection of the energy we bring to it. When we shift our perspective from dark to light, we illuminate new pathways.
Finding silver linings isn’t about ignoring pain or pretending everything is perfect. It’s about recognizing that even in the darkest times, there is potential for growth, healing, and transformation.
The silver lining doesn’t just exist—it’s waiting for us to recognize and act upon it to make it real.
Grateful Is as Grateful Does
Gratitude is more than a feeling; it’s a practice. It’s a way of moving through the world with intention, recognizing the blessings that exist even amidst challenges.
When we embody gratitude in our actions—through kindness, patience, and generosity—we not only uplift others but also anchor ourselves in a place of gratitudinal abundance. Yeah, I just made that word up.
As we navigate the holidays, remember that not everyone experiences this season as a time of celebration. Some are facing extreme financial hardship losing their homes, living in their cars, or even on the streets.
Others are grappling with serious health challenges or mourning the absence of loved ones. For those experiencing these hardships, the holiday season can feel like a magnifying glass on the pain and difficulty inherent their struggles.
When we’re in a place of abundance, it’s good to consider how we can extend a hand to those in need. Whether it’s donating to a food drive, sharing a meal, or simply offering a kind word and a smile, our actions have the power to transform someone else’s experience, often by merely sitting in present kindness with them.
And when we’re the ones struggling, it’s important to know that it’s okay to lean on others and accept support. The season’s true spirit lies in connection—whether we’re the giver or the receiver.
Reflecting on Thanksgiving and Beyond
Once Thanksgiving is behind us, let’s take a bit of time to reflect.
What moments brought us joy?
Which interactions felt meaningful?
How did our body feel after certain meals or conversations?
These reflections aren’t just about analyzing the past—they’re about informing our future choices in the present.
Food is a central part of the holiday season for most of us, but it’s also deeply tied to our health and well-being.
It’s important to pay attention to how certain foods make us feel, not just in the moment, but in the hours and days afterward. This awareness can help us make choices that better align with our body’s needs, especially as the gastronomical indulgences of the season continue on.
From Darkness to Light
As the days grow shorter and the nights longer, it’s easy to feel enveloped by darkness—both literal and metaphorical. But the dark isn’t here to destroy us; it’s here to teach us. It asks us to confront our fears, to sit with our discomfort, and to find the light within ourselves.
Growth rarely happens in the sunshine; it’s in the shadows where we learn resilience, strength, and grace.
We can ask ourselves, where can we shift our perspective from dark to ✨light✨?
This isn’t about denying the reality of pain or hardship. It’s about choosing to see what’s possible, even when the path is unclear. We can act upon that glimmer of hope, no matter how small it may seem. With each step, we create a new reality—one filled with possibility and purpose.
We Create Our Reality
As the year winds to a close, remember this: we are responsible for creating the world around us. It’s a daunting thought, but it’s also incredibly empowering. The energy we bring, the actions we take, especially in these coming years, and the words we speak all contribute to the collective experience of those around us.
What kind of world do we want to live in? And how can we start creating it, right here and now?
Celebrate and Recalibrate
2025 is just around the corner. Let’s try to use this season, not just to celebrate and connect, but also to recalibrate. Let’s try to take those baby steps - those subtle course corrections - that will set us on a path aligned with our highest intentions. If we do what we’ve always done, then we’ll get what we’ve always gotten and so many of us need something new.
So let’s release the habits and patterns that no longer serve us. No matter how difficult, let’s try to embrace the discomfort of growth trusting that it’s leading us to a brighter, more fulfilling future…even when it may look dark, scary, and uncertain.
And most importantly, let’s remember that gratitude is both the seed and the fruit of this journey. Let’s try to be grateful for what is, however it shows up, even as we continue to strive for what could be.
The holidays are a reminder that light and dark, joy and sorrow, struggle and growth—all exist together. Bless them all, and trust that each moment, no matter how challenging, is shaping us into the person - and the country - we’re meant to become.
A Closing Note of Gratitude and Intention
As the holidays unfold, let us move through this season with open hearts and reflective minds. Whether we’re savoring moments of joy, navigating waves of grief, or embracing the messy beauty of growth, may we find gratitude in the journey and intention in every step we take.
Remember, the energy we bring to the world shapes not only our own experience but also influences the lives of those around us. Let this season be a time to recalibrate, to shift from darkness to light, and to plant seeds of hope and possibility for the years ahead.
May you walk forward with purpose, courage, and a heart full of gratitude.
Blessings to you and yours,
✨MindShift✨ Musings
A Dash of this…A Pinch of that
READING
Some Tips for Easing Tensions at ThanksGiving Gatherings
I really enjoy the organization Starts with Us.
This is a recent article they posted to help us with some of our potentially uncomfortable feelings at ThanksGiving gatherings. I hope you find them helpful.
3 Tips for Keeping Thanksgiving Talks Tension-Free
LISTENING
I love the vibe of Rising Appalachia. I thought this gratitude song was perfect for the purpose of this blog.
Enjoy!
WATCHING
For your viewing pleasure…
This is a funny bit from waaay back that’s been colorized. It’s a staple for my family during the holidays passed on to us from a friend in South Africa.
Deep Fried Turkey PSA
This is a PSA in the form of a funny song from the illustrious William Shatner. This is a Thanksgiving staple at our house because we’re Trekkies. Plus, when I lived in L.A., I used to watch William Shatner play in polo matches at the L.A. Equestrian Center which was fun.
Enjoy…and be safe out there.
Two final words passed on from Tangle News …
Log off
What do you have to be grateful for this holiday season?
What situations do you have to look at really hard to find a silver lining? Don’t answer unless you can also share the silver lining you found in the difficulty.