Thankfulness November 2019

I love November. In the midst of every autumn season I look forward to November because it is a quiet and beautiful month of the year here in New England. Although Thanksgiving is a timeless tradition here in the United States, it is not a very popular holiday when compared to Halloween and Christmas. Sandwiched right between, it is a quiet break from the holiday festivities and above all, a time to slow down and practice gratitude. 

Every year for the past several years I have spent all of November as my “Thankfulness November” month. Every year I do my best to follow these three simple methods to practice thankfulness:

One. Be grateful. Every day I write down three things/ people/ places/ memories/ events that I am grateful for. The process of thinking of three things that you appreciate not only helps us to be thankful, it elevates our mood and has a lasting improvement on our mental health when we make this a daily habit. 

Two. No spend November. Every November I go on a personally imposed spending ban to practice gratitude for what I already have. The number one rule is not to buy things for myself that are not essential. The only exception to this ban is if I go holiday shopping to avoid the December rush. Buying gifts for others is not a part of my ban. 

Three. Give back. This year I’m not sure what I am going to do (and I am happily taking suggestions in the comments below). I always like to volunteer and give back to my community in some way. 

I also love spending quality time with the people who truly add value to my life. Quality time with loved ones, like my mother pictured here in this post, is one of the many things I am thankful for every year. 

How do you practice gratitude in November for Thanksgiving? Please tell me in the comments below and share this post on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.