I’m taking a break from your regularly scheduled financial blog post this week due to it being Thanksgiving in America. Enjoy this short post.
Gratitude is defined in Webster’s Dictionary as “the state of being grateful: thankfulness” but I like how the Oxford English Dictionary puts it.
“The quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.”
For me, the key phrase there is “to return kindness.”
I believe gratitude begets kindness.
The past few years have been rough for the U.S. and the world. The entire world has been living in a pandemic state. With things finally getting back to normal, it’s hard to believe we still haven’t gotten to the point where the pandemic has been declared “over.” In addition to that, there seems to be a new tragedy all the time.
In the United States, we’ve had:
- police brutality
- continued racism
- looting for no reason
- peaceful protests for great causes turning violent
- weather events that won’t quit thanks to global warming
- constant polarization of political stances instead of coming together
- the politicization of seemingly every human issue
- gun violence and mass shootings
- and politicians that fan the flame instead of putting out the fire
Need I go on? It seems like it’s been a little bit harder the past couple of years to find things to be thankful for.
And when you leave behind gratitude, even when it’s unintentional, kindness tends to get left behind as well.
This Thanksgiving, take some time to intentionally get into that “state” of being grateful.
Live in it. Bask in it.
Then, allow it to birth kindness in you toward others.
Focus on blessing others this Thanksgiving and being truly grateful for what you have—no matter how much that is.
Life itself is an incredible gift. Hug those who are close to you a little tighter this Thanksgiving.
Be grateful for them.
And go out of your way to show kindness to others—and watch it spread.
Kindness is contagious.
From myself and Atypical Finance, I’m grateful for you.
Happy Thanksgiving.
