This Thanksgiving, there’s a new tradition I’d like to start: the Gratitude Jar. It’s very simple – and you can probably already guess what it’s about!
There are a variety of iterations of this idea: placing notes about your goals, craziest adventures, secret crush and so on into a container, which then gets passed around for each to be read aloud anonymously. As a lover of learning more about others and sharing goodness, I for one definitely enjoy these types of activities.
Adapting this for Thanksgiving is simple and it gets everyone involved, even – and perhaps especially – those who begrudgingly share or make jokes about it (and if you let them do their thing rather than trying to convince them, they’ll probably end up participating anyway). When we view things from a perspective of gratitude, there are countless opportunities to be thankful – such as things like your family’s health, your aunt’s marshmallowy sweet potatoes, getting a new job, being able to go for a jog, warmth in cold weather, that fun date you went on last week, etc. etc. etc.
Taking a moment to think about what you’re grateful for not only benefits you by shifting your mind into a grateful and more grounded state, it also connects you with others who play a role in understanding, feeling and acknowledging your gratitude. All of this benefits your physical health too. And you truly never know how much something you share may positively impact someone else – so share that gratitude.
Here’s how easy the Gratitude Jar is:
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Find a container: jar, box, tupperware, hat, etc.
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Gather some writing utensils and small pieces of paper (or cut paper into smaller parts).
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Fold a piece of paper or an index card in half and write “Gratitude Jar” plus a little description of what to do on it. For instance: “Take a moment now to write down something you are grateful for, anonymously. If you’d like to write more than one thing, just use more pieces of paper. We’ll read these aloud with dessert.”
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Set it all out in a prominent place to entice everyone to participate.
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Choose a time when everyone’s gathered together to pass the jar around and read each note aloud anonymously. Soak in all the good vibes and feel the gratitude wash over you 🙂
A very perceptive friend once told me, “Gratitude is meant to be shared – it doesn’t belong to you.” As we go into the holiday season, the Gratitude Jar sets a grateful, caring tone and allows us another way to connect with our loved ones while we celebrate.
My gratitude to YOU for reading this post! 🙂
The information provided here is not intended to replace medical advice or to treat or diagnose any medical condition. Please consult your doctor with specific questions and prior to beginning any significant diet or lifestyle changes.