Time to Pause for Gratitude … and Give Thanks
To echo the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson - “I awoke this morning with devout thankgiving for my friends, the old and the new.”
This Thanksgiving, maybe more than any time in recent memory, is a time to pause for gratitude, and give thanks. As last year’s annual traditions were hijacked by a pandemic, this year people are reuniting, sometimes for the first time in two years. There is such power in that connection.
To be with people, to hug family and friends, to engage in both perfunctory and powerful conversations face to face, to contribute and share our special traditions and add to the bounty of the Thanksgiving table, and root for our favorite football team … each and every one of these things is powerful … and absolutely soooooo healthy for us.
Being connected to one another is vital to our health. In fact, studies have shown that it’s “an even stronger predictor of lifespan than body mass index, physical activity, blood pressure, air pollution, and even smoking 15 cigarettes a day.”
(Chris Kresser).
I bet you didn’t realize the pure joy that comes with being with those you love can also profoundly impact your health in a positive way. It’s a nice dose of natural medicine.
When we are positively connected, the hormone oxytocin plays a critical role. Oxytocin is released when we are joyfully connected to others, producing a sense of calm, improving trust, and reducing fear.
Endorphins are also released, also known as the body’s “feel good” chemicals. They can counteract stress hormones, thereby improving mood. And believe it or not, they also improve our immune function, protecting us from disease.
So while we have always known how special this day is when we gather with family and friends, we may not have known that this pure sense of connection can serve as an inoculation for healthy living.
So as you celebrate today, and give thanks for all the blessings in your life, think about a plan that can connect you regularly with those you care about and those that bring you joy.
I know one of the resounding comments at the end our Thanksgiving day, is “why do we only do this once a year?” Well, maybe it doesn’t have to be that way.
As we head into the new year, maybe you can create your own definition of “Thanksgiving,” at least once a month. Kind of fun to think about what that could mean and the different circles of friends you would include. It doesn’t need to be complicated. It just requires some thought and planning.
But back to today. Just remember:
“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.”
(Marcel Proust)
Let’s take the capital “T” out of Thanksgiving, and, make thanksgiving part of our every day.
One Key Takeaway
To be with people, to hug family and friends, to engage in both perfunctory and powerful conversations face to face, to contribute and share our special traditions and add to the bounty of the Thanksgiving table, and root for our favorite football team … each and every one of these things is powerful … and absolutely soooooo healthy for us. Being connected to one another is vital to our health. In fact, studies have shown that it’s “an even stronger predictor of lifespan than body mass index, physical activity, blood pressure, air pollution, and even smoking 15 cigarettes a day.” (Chris Kresser).