It seems like it wasn’t too long ago that I was writing a new year’s resolution post about the paleo diet. With the year almost over, I’m inspired to look back at my personal goals and declarations I made at the beginning of the year. One of my resolutions was to show gratitude daily.
In light of Thanksgiving tomorrow, it seems even more fitting to talk about giving thanks. When I think of Thanksgiving, I immediately think of an indulgent meal with turkey and all the fixings enjoyed with family and friends. Not to mention the following day is known as Black Friday, a day devoted to getting what you want and need or think you need. It’s easy to forget that this is a holiday of gratitude. I made gratitude a part of my resolution to remind myself to step back from all the daily commotion in life. These include material things I may want or things I need to do. Rather I wanted to focus on being grateful for the present, for things I have and people who are a part of my life now. I wanted to focus on being more aware of my surroundings and appreciate life like a flower blooming, a sunset, or the sound of the waves crashing. I think it’s so important to acknowledge what and who you are grateful for in life and express it as often as you can. Showing gratitude can be as simple as smiling back at someone.
The recent natural disaster, Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines, which is where many of my relatives currently live. Fortunately, they were not directly affected, but this tragedy is yet another reminder to be thankful. There are many things in life taken for granted, so I invite you to join me in giving thanks and expressing this gratitude more often. You can start by making a list of things you are grateful for. Look at this list whenever you’re having a challenging day, and it might change your perspective of your bad day. Add on and share the list with someone you love.
Coupled with showing gratitude, it’s a great time to revisit tapping out of technology to tap in to tea. Since tea has natural calming effects for the body, this is the perfect vessel to continue the positivity. Last May, Art of Tea spearheaded a digital detox campaign to unplug from the digital age of phones, computers, social media, etc. to focus on a tea experience to refocus on the beauty and appreciation of life. Check out the post for more details. Happy Thanksgiving!
-MELISSA CHUA