About 150 years ago, Sarah Hale began a 30-year campaign for a national holiday of Thanksgiving. In 1863, her efforts convinced Abraham Lincoln to issue a proclamation encouraging Americans to recognize the last Thursday of November as a day of Thanksgiving and prayer. Finally in 1870, Congress adopted a law making Thanksgiving a national holiday. Since that time, the holiday has been celebrated annually on the last Thursday of November, except temporarily during the depression when it was moved to the third Thursday of November.
Giving thanks generates a sense of positivity that boosts happiness and well-being. Grateful people tend to have better interpersonal relations, increased energy, and reduced stress. The Thanksgiving holiday is a good time to start showing thanks for the good things in your life. Following are tips for making gratitude a habit and resources to help implement them.
Tips
Alternatives - show thanks with acts of kindness, cards, donations, emails, in-person communications, and handwritten notes.
Audiences - focus on clients, co-workers, family, service providers, and vendors.
Journaling - keep a journal to record positive happenings, and express thankfulness.
Environment - be alert to opportunities for giving thanks at church, home, offices, restaurants, and stores.
Reasons - accentuate the positive and consider all things big and small in your daily life.
Recognition - reward others for their assistance, contribution, and service.
Volunteering - give thanks by giving back to the community and the profession.