Thanksgiving was created as a day to count our blessings, yet sometimes it seems that this holiday doesn’t get the amount of recognition it deserves. Amidst all the preparations for the meal, and partially lost in the clamor of the upcoming Christmas season and Black Friday sales, gratitude can sometimes become one more thing to check off a list. And yet, the benefits of gratitude can change a person’s life, and we should all take more time to reflect on the blessings we’ve been given. 

The first Thanksgiving was celebrated by the Pilgrims in 1621, when they gathered, together with the Native Americans, to give thanks to God for the bountiful harvest they had. Days of thanksgiving were designated for years after, but only in 1863, during the tumult of the Civil War, did President Abraham Lincoln establish the fourth Thursday of November to be a national holiday to give thanks. Thanksgiving has been a day where everyone can be grateful for the blessings they have, even in the midst of national or global crisis. 

With the fast pace of today’s world, it can be easy to stress or become preoccupied with the things around us. Thanksgiving falls so close to the Christmas season that it can be only a day’s respite before heading back into the bustle, with Black Friday immediately following. And especially for the cooks, the preparation of the Thanksgiving meal layers more stress on the day. Gratitude can quickly become just five minutes of short statements shared around the dinner table or an afterthought throughout the day. 

And yet, gratitude has been proven to have many benefits psychologically. People who are grateful see an improvement in their relationships, because others are attracted to someone who is positive, and grateful people tend to see the best in others and take time to appreciate someone else. Gratitude can improve physical health, too, because a grateful person pays closer attention to their health and how to improve it. Mentally and emotionally, gratitude lessens toxic emotions like anger or jealousy and can help to alleviate depression. Being grateful also reduces stress, and with less anxiety, people sleep better. Focusing on what a person has instead of what they don’t have changes their perspective, decreasing selfishness and materialism. 

And in the case of the Pilgrims, it brought them together with a people group different from their own. Instead of competing against each other, they united in gratitude and set aside their differences. Abraham Lincoln understood that gratitude was necessary even in the midst of the fighting. Choosing to look for the light in the midst of the darkness sparks hope for the future and brings unity even amid differences. 

If more people began to express gratitude, how would the world change? Perhaps there would be less conflict and tension in relationships. Perhaps more people would find their physical and mental health improving. And maybe depression and anxiety would begin to decrease as quality of life improves. 

This Thanksgiving, let’s take time to truly count our blessings and create a habit of gratitude in our daily lives for the rest of the year. It may just change your life for the better!