The Power of Gratitude and Why Thanksgiving Truly Matters!

Hard to believe ...but Thanksgiving is just a little less than 3 weeks away! 

I love Thanksgiving! It's a time not only to celebrate the beginnings of the nation but also to be thankful for the bounty nature brings forth; for all our life's blessings; and for our family and friends. 

But did you know that there is a remarkable science backing up how powerful celebrations of gratitude like Thanksgiving can boost our levels of happiness, health, mental well-being and energy? 

Check out Robert Emmons', study on "The Power of Gratitude and Why Thanksgiving Truly Matters" below where he shares why gratitude makes you 25% happier! 

(Emmons is a professor of psychology at the University of California, Davis, and the founding editor-in-chief of The Journal of Positive Psychology. He is also the author of the books Gratitude Works!: A 21-Day Program for Creating Emotional Prosperity, Words of Gratitude: Mind, Body and Soul, and Thanks! How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier.)

Looking for ways you can express gratitude? Emmons suggests the following 6 ways:

1. Keep A Gratitude Journal

2. Think About 5 Things Every Morning You're Grateful For

3. Send Thank You Notes of Appreciation To Friends and Family

4. Reflect On Previous Days Celebrations While In The Shower

5. Meditate

6. Send An Appreciative E-mail To A Co-Worker

Another great tip--to make gratitude a daily habit with children, ask them "What was your happiest moment today?"  (This could also help strengthen your parent/child bond!)

May you give and receive gratitude all throughout this holiday season!  

P.S. Love to hear some of your own ideas on how you express gratitude during the holidays and all year long! Please leave a comment below or on our Facebook page!

Warmly,

R O S A N N A I N C . C O M

Changing Of The Guard

I hate to admit it, but summer is over. School's started and we've made the official transition into fall. I'm always sad to say goodbye to those three beautiful summer months of slower living. Yet fall has its benefits too. For those of us with children going back to school, fall means the beginning of a new year. The fall marks a new year in a variety of religious faiths as well-- Judaism, Ethopian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, a sect of Hinduism, and even a Celtic-based pagan religion. Although the world is preparing itself for a long winter's sleep, this new season nonetheless provides us with a new chapter of life, and with an opportunity for reflection. 

As the leaves and light deepen to the rich gold and copper tones of Indian Summer, I've been doing some thinking myself. What do I want to focus on in this new stage of life? What's important? 

What's most important to me at this moment is getting back to basics. I want to nurture a sense of gratitude and enjoyment for the simple aspects that make me feel blessed, my children most of all. I try to stay mindful of small things I can do to enrich my life and encourage feelings of tranquility and contentment. It's just a matter of training my attention on the things I already have rather than the things I wish I had. This task is much easier said than done, but I find that when I truly devote myself to keeping this attitude, the outcome is well worth the effort.

Good luck with your new year. 

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