20 Sep 6 Ways to Celebrate World Gratitude Day
By: Abby Fountain
It’s no secret that practicing gratitude has numerous mental and physical health benefits. According to this UCLA Health study, incorporating thankfulness daily can reduce depression, lessen anxiety, relieve stress, and support healthy heart functions. With World Gratitude Day happening on September 21, there’s no time like the present to work in a few minutes each day to give thanks. To kick off your new-found gratefulness, here are five creative ways to celebrate this sweet holiday.
30 Days of Thanks
Many of us do well with a finish line to work towards. Commit to spending the next 30 days giving thanks to one person, place, pet, feeling, experience, or thing daily. You can share this practice on your social media pages or write it down in your journal. Incorporate a word into your meditation each day that represents what you choose to be grateful for that day. As you move through the month, identify where gratitude shows up in your body when you are present with the feeling. Maybe it’s a warmth in your chest or a relaxed feeling in your legs. Connecting an ethereal concept – like gratitude – with a body sensation helps us tune in more frequently when it shows up.
Join a Movement Party
Show your gratitude for your physical body by turning up the music and dancing with your weirdest buds. Check out Move Your Mood, a virtual dance party connecting people across the globe through intentional movement and empowerment. You’ll catch our Co-Founder Kody movin’ and groovin’ in this group! Curious to try it out? Your first class is free!
Write a Letter
An oldie but goodie. Nothing plucks at the heartstrings more than a hand-written letter from a loved one. Pick two people in your life and grab your quill. An email or text isn’t gonna to cut it. Go buy some paper if you have to, or support local businesses like Two Hands Paperie, and invest in some unique stationery to show your friends and family how much you value them in your life.
Practice Presence
String up some Revel Gear lights and invite your friends over. Ask everyone to participate in an intentional group discussion where everyone lists things they are grateful for. Or, sign up for a local meditation and ride your bike or walk to get there. Try and remain present for the journey and call out things you are grateful for along the way – birdsong, the sun’s rays, little flowers poking up from the cracks in the sidewalk…you get the gist.
Give and Give Thanks
Your time and money are valuable resources because they are limited. We can express gratitude by sharing the things we are grateful for. Colorado has numerous ways to volunteer and get involved with organizations actively fighting climate change, youth homelessness, food insecurity, and more. It feels good to give. Connecting with other humans, nature, and yourself can encourage feelings of gratitude to grow and ripple out beyond your sphere.
Try Something New
Testing our comfort zones and experimenting with our mental and physical limits is a fantastic way to remind ourselves of everything we must be grateful for – our unique capabilities, talents, skills, and wisdom. Breaking free from the daily rut of life can often be enough to shake up our senses and reconnect us to the present moment, which makes for the perfect recipe to concoct a plate of gratitude. Whip up a new recipe with farm-fresh goodies, buy a pair of old roller skates on consignment, or try a new yoga class at a local studio. Your body and mind are beautiful miracles that deserve all your gratitude.
How you choose to express thankfulness is ultimately up to you. We highly recommend getting started on this transformative practice ASAP. Your life will get a whole lot brighter.