This special day celebrated in America and Canada is actually a celebration of expressing gratitude towards nature and the food, water and wealth produced by it. If seen and felt in a larger context, it is also a day to practice gratitude towards each other.
Expressing gratitude is an ancient Indian practice. It is a symbolic way of understanding and appreciating the value of others as well as yourself. A celebration similar to this Indian practice is Thanksgiving Day (Thanksgiving 2024). This special day celebrated in America and Canada is actually a celebration of gratitude towards nature and the food, water and wealth produced by it. If seen and felt in a bigger picture, it is also a day to practice gratitude towards each other. Gratitude practice, or expressing gratitude, not only makes you more aware of your surroundings, but also has many mental health benefits.
Thanksgiving (Thanksgiving 2024) Gratitude and expressing gratitude are all similar words. Everyone supports the principle of being grateful for what you have.
Thanksgiving 2024
Thanksgiving is a national holiday in the United States of America and Canada. On this day, people express gratitude for the achievements made in the last year, especially the harvest, and also celebrate the achievements. Thanksgiving is celebrated on the 4th Thursday of November.
This holiday is a day for Americans of feasting, football, and gathering with family. People spend time with family and friends on this occasion, and express gratitude towards each other. Traditionally, farmers thank God for their autumn harvest on Thanksgiving.
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These 7 ways Thanksgiving is beneficial for your mental health (Mental health benefits of Thanksgiving)
1. Increases positive emotions
Gratitude helps you experience positive emotions. When we practice appreciation for the people, things, or experiences around us, we become more present with life and its joys and pleasures.
Being thankful for the better things and people in life reduces the effects of anxiety and depression. Along with this, it helps in taking your mentality i.e. your ability to think and understand towards more spontaneity. With consistent practice, this positive mindset becomes a new habit, causing you to experience more of the “good things.”
2. Has positive effects on health
Gratitude can improve not only your mental health but also your physical health. According to the National Library of Medicine, regular practice of gratitude reduces the effects of anxiety and depression, helps maintain normal blood pressure, strengthens the immune system, and helps achieve better quality sleep. People who practice gratitude are more physically healthy.
3. Helps in improving relationships
According to PubMed Central, practicing gratitude, that is, being thankful to each other in relationships, can make our romantic relationships more satisfying. At the same time, friendship relationships can become more trusting and longer, and we can become more helpful colleagues. In addition to feeling more positive about each other, gratitude helps us feel more comfortable expressing our concerns. Along with this, it inspires us to come forward openly in our relationships or in any social group.
4. Self-esteem is boosted
Gratitude has a positive impact on your self-esteem. By being grateful for the good things and help of others, you start recognizing their positive qualities. In this way, the other person also appreciates you and has positive thoughts towards you, which helps you to be more aware of yourself. In this way self-confidence increases.
5. Helps in anger management
Practicing gratitude towards others helps you remain calm from within. When you don’t like what someone says or you are angry at someone, gratitude helps you remember the positive things about them, which makes it easier to control your anger. With a positive mindset it becomes easier for you to forgive people’s mistakes.
6. Leadership quality improves
Being a leader does not only mean getting people to work, but also expressing gratitude for the work done by people. With the practice of gratitude, you can prove to be a better leader for your juniors. In this way your leadership quality also improves.
7. Communication can be better
When you speak positively about people through the practice of gratitude, both your relationships and your way of communication improve. Being grateful towards people improves your relationships, which also increases your communication skills.
Also read: World Kindness Day: Kindness is the antidote to stress, know how it boosts your mental health.
