We often think of the Christmas season as a time to celebrate family. Thanksgiving is our time to be thankful. Valentine’s Day is a day to show love. Of course, while it’s good to have particular seasons and special days to celebrate these things, you can feel and show all of these emotions all year round!
Whether you follow a particular religion or not, creating traditions of thankfulness is important. As many of us head off to sales, it’s a good time to stop and remember all that we have.
The economy can be tight, and finding a job can be hard. Think of the support that others give you. Encourage your children to do the same. Throughout the year, take some time to acknowledge those who help you and your children. Give them a gift, or simply say thank you in a slow, heartfelt way. Often, we are rushing off to the next thing and the next. Inviting someone over to dinner, giving them some homemade cookies, or waiting after a lesson to say thank you are all so important, yet often forgotten.
Be thankful for your family. Make special times to visit, speak to or write to relatives, including those special friends who are really part of your family too! I find that creating a schedule works for me. Otherwise, it’s easy to be too busy to visit, and you lose the connection between your family members. One way to be thankful for your immediate family is to celebrate them by eating dinner together. Time spent talking and being together in the evening is time well spent, even if it’s a struggle to get the dinner on the table.
Be thankful for your home, whatever your home might be. Create family traditions that involve care for your home. Yes, this includes chores! It also includes holiday and seasonal decorating, if that is something that you enjoy. One of the best ways to celebrate your home is to stay at home once in a while. It’s easy to be out doing things all of the time, only to use home as a place to crash. I find that some of my favorite days are the ones when we don’t need to be out doing, we just need to be at home, being. Enjoy the slowness of those days and cultivate them in your life. When you have them, remember to pause and be thankful.
Image Credit: Martine SanSoucy