5 Steps to Practicing Thanksgiving Year-Round
Gratitude isn’t just a holiday feeling—it’s a mindset that transforms our mental well-being, strengthens relationships, and builds resilience. By finding joy in the little things, creating year-round rituals, and acting on thankfulness, we can carry the magic of gratitude far beyond the holiday season.
Thanksgiving: The Case for Gratitude
For many of us who work in the sometimes polarizing world of higher education, where the culture is competitive and the pace can be punishing, gratitude is kind of like a big, fancy dinner: it’s a cool idea, but it’s really hard to make time for. Luckily, many of us get a whole 4-day weekend for Thanksgiving, a holiday with thankfulness literally built into the name.
Thankfully, Words Do Have Meaning
We’ve gotten used to a filtered version of reality, one where we can speak our opinions without seeing the immediate effects our words had on others. The thing is, though, our words do have an effect. They impact other people. They can hurt. They can comfort. They are powerful.
Thanksgiving: Meditations on Turkey and Tolerance
After spending an unusually extended time away from family and friends, there are bound to be some hiccups when we all get together again. To help prepare for any potential awkwardness, consider the following…
Earning Courage
“Courage is not something that you already have that makes you brave when the tough times start. Courage is what you earn when you’ve been through the tough times and you discover they aren’t so tough after all.” ~ Malcolm Gladwell
When We Need It Most
Most of us hear the word education and think colleges, professors, and textbooks, but some of the best education I ever received was through mentors that I have been blessed to have in my life. Some are still mentors for me today, others I briefly passed on the street, and a few we engaged in short conversations, but all gave me the encouragement, inspiration, and, yes, even criticism I needed to become who I am today.