I think we can all agree, 2020 has thrown us some serious curveballs. However, there is still so much to be thankful for. According to Harvard Health, the practice of gratitude is strongly associated with greater happiness, and I think we can all agree we would love some of that right now.
A study done by Dr. Robert A. Emmons and Dr Michael E. McCullough made an effort to explain this correlation. They had three groups each write about various topics: gratitude, frustrations, and various events with no positive or negative association. After 10 weeks, the group who wrote about gratitude noted that they felt more optimistic and better about their lives.
Surprisingly enough, during this study, those who practiced gratitude actually exercised more frequently and went to the physician less than those who focused on aggravation. While this doesn’t completely describe a cause and effect relationship, we can logically deduce that gratitude and happiness are related.
With that being said, this Thanksgiving, we asked our team to share a few things they’re grateful for. This year has been challenging for all of us, and our ongoing gratitude practice is truly what keeps us sane. Here are a few things our team at Culture Works are grateful for:
“I am grateful for the laughter and love shared between my husband, son, family, and friends. I am grateful for the people that have stood by me, supported me, and loved me unconditionally through my craziest year ever. I am grateful for our family’s health, wellness, faith, and the law of attraction working out for us. I am immensely grateful for the clients and partnerships that have allowed our business to grow which ultimately impact our purpose and our team member’s families to keep going through a pandemic.”
“I’m grateful for my family.”
“This year has presented so many challenges to humanity, yet I find that I have many things to be grateful for:
“I am thankful for my family, my health, and my joy. I’m thankful to be resilient in uncertain times and to have a wonderful friend group who supports me at my best and worst.
Happy Thanksgiving!”
“This time of year and all year I am grateful for friendships. Strong, dedicated, empathetic, non-judgmental friends who are intentional. Friends who understand every day what can be thrown at you as a mother, as a partner, as an employee, and as a woman. Friends who will call you, celebrate, cry, laugh, and drink with you at the drop of a hat. Friends who celebrate each other’s successes and grab a hand when someone is down. Friendships that last seasons and lifetimes, I am grateful for them all.”
“This year, I am most grateful for my relationships with friends and family. For those that I love, and those I love spending time with, those who have worked hard to put in the effort to maintain connections as we’re forced apart, and the ways that we find to tell each other how much we appreciate each other – that’s been everything this year.”
“I am grateful that I was able to create success and opportunities during a time when most were struggling.”
“This year more than ever I am grateful for time. This year forced us to slow down. This year forced us to spend more time with the people we love. It removed some of the things that we did just to fill our time instead of connecting with our loved ones. So this year, I am grateful for the extra time that I have been given to connect on a deeper level with the ones I love most.”
“I am grateful for the mistakes I have made and how I’ve learned and grown from them. I am grateful for my family, the bond that we share, and the gift of watching my children grow into their own selves. I am grateful to hear music, learn new things, and to enjoy the beauty of nature.”