Blog Author: Beckie Mossor, RVT
NAVTA President-Elect
Giving thanks…. something we do so many times a day. We say thank you when a person holds the door, rings us up for coffee, or even when we answer or hang up the phone, and we thank the person for calling. But, when prompted, people often have a hard time coming up with more than a few things they are thankful for, and when they do, it is often the big things, health, family, and friends. Somehow, we express gratitude so many times a day for little things, but often so much so that we miss the opportunity for gratitude in passing.
The truth is gratitude makes us feel good. We release dopamine and serotonin when we express gratitude1. So, this time of year, we may notice we feel good as we reflect on what we are grateful for. Carrying a gratitude practice throughout the year can help us feel more positive and more readily focus on good things. But practice gratitude in moments when you feel stressed or down or want a little mood boost, and let the feel-good hormones flow!
As for me, I am grateful for the opportunity to represent my profession in the ways that I do. I am grateful for all the incredible people I have met along my journey. And I am grateful for my friends, family, and especially my husband, who support me along the way. On the smaller, daily scale, I find myself grateful for a bunch of green lights in a row, living close to the beach so I can visit anytime, and that Kiss makes the cutest nail designs for the holidays.
Life gives us so much to be grateful for, and we can find joy everywhere in our lives in the many little things. I hope you take the time this holiday season and beyond to grace your life with a gratitude practice and see how much there is to appreciate every day.