Thankfulness is only the first step

With Thanksgiving in November, what better way to celebrate gratitude than to celebrate it throughout the whole month? November is National Gratitude Month. It is celebrated in Canada and the USA, and paves the way to create a habit of showing gratitude daily.

One of the easiest and most common ways to celebrate National Gratitude Day is simply by saying thank you, but sometimes that is not enough. The Bennett Foundation says, “Showing gratitude is more than saying, thank you.”

Being grateful is different than being thankful. When someone is thankful, it’s usually because something occurred in their favor which makes them feel happy at the moment. Gratefulness, on the other hand, is being delighted even if you didn’t get what you want. Some examples to show gratitude is by smiling more or by appreciating the little things. Donating to benefit others is also a great example.

Practicing gratitude can have positive effects. It improves a person’s sleeping habits and immune system. It is even said practicing gratitude can help people recover from trauma more quickly.

For the month of Thanksgiving, let’s be both thankful and grateful.