It hard to believe that it’s already Thanksgiving! A time for reflection, a time to be thankful for everything in our lives. The semester has gone by so quickly. It seems like I’ve had my head down, buried in my work, and when I finally look up, it’s time for the Thanksgiving holiday! A friend once commented that the days drag, but the weeks fly by. Maybe that’s why Thanksgiving has taken me by surprise this year.
Gratitude
It’s hard to be thankful, but gratitude is the heart of our ability to appreciate what we have. Most of us don’t take the time for thanks. We are often too busy, buried in information, exams, friends, family, work, and all the other immediacies that compete for our attention. We complain about never having enough time, enough money, enough opportunity, and if only we could get whatever, we would make it, be successful, be happy. What we forget is that all our working and reaching keeps our eyes on what we want and we never celebrate what we have.
Thankful for What We Have
We can’t be successful in life if we only focus on keeping up, catching up, holding on, and getting more. We have to stop from time to time to think, reflect, and take stock. Reflecting on our lives, our achievements and our setbacks, helps us change and grow. I would argue that it is equally important to experience gratitude, and be thankful for for what we have, the people, opportunities, encounters, and adventures we have experienced. Thankfulness increases appreciation, which increases satisfaction and contentment.
Whether you are celebrating a Thanksgiving with your family or enjoying a friendsgiving with your comrades, take the time to stop, reflect, and experience gratitude. Focus on what you have rather than what you don’t. Be thankful for what you have accomplished, for having direction in your life, and for all the people who support you. If you can, share your appreciation with others, but most of all, enjoy your holiday. Rest and refresh yourself and return ready for the end of the semester.
The Student Success Center will close at 6:00 pm on Wednesday November 22nd for the Thanksgiving holiday. We will reopen at 7:30 am on Monday, November 27th.