“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot….” The Bible, Ecclesiastes 31-15

In the United States, we are about to celebrate Thanksgiving, a time to give thanks that began with the First Thanksgiving by the Pilgrims of Plymouth Rock. The Pilgrims celebrated their first harvest in America, the New World in 1621. But, it wasn’t until 1863, when President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of “Thanksgiving and Praise” to be celebrated on the fourth Thursday of every November. It is a joyful kickoff to a broader religious holiday season celebrated in the United States.

Cultures and religions worldwide designate a time to give thanks, extending back to ancient times. For example, the Romans celebrated the fall harvest, known as Cerelia, in honor of Ceres, the pagan Goddess of Agriculture. Passover, the Jewish culture’s season for giving thanks, celebrates the Jewish people’s flight out of Egypt to freedom. Also, the Muslim month-long celebration of Ramadan is a time of recollection and celebration that begins with a fast to remind Muslims to be compassionate and generous and grateful for the life given. Each culture and religion has its own way of celebrating this joyous time. But, no matter their differences, it is a time to give thanks.

But, what are the things of life for which you are thankful? Certainly, you are thankful for the God you worship, family and friends, livelihood, and other resources that make living easier on you. These are usually the features of living that affirm all that is good and meaningful, no matter what you have had to endure, thus far.

But, there’s a feature of being that also deserves attention and praise–the psychological you, the part of you that allows you to learn, grow and to evolve in wisdom, emotionally and spiritually. It is you who copes and gives meaning to life happenings and is able to withstand much hardship, because you have dedicated yourself to living well.

Thus, also this Thanksgiving, remember to be thankful for YOU~ what you’ve endured with grace and strength, the ways in which you’ve learned and grown, and the resilience by which you’ve coped with stressful situations. So many of you are heroes, psychologically and spiritually. You have conquered innumerable health crises, deaths of family members and friends, and disasters of home and livelihood, and still, you are faithful to the living process. You are heroes of the inner spirit, recommitting yourself to life with each life challenge.

Appreciate Yourself

The questions that follow bring to your awareness the resilient and life-affirming ways that you handled life challenges, this year. Many of you treat the way you manage the challenging experiences you face daily, as just doing what anyone else would do. Whether or not this is the case, give yourself the credit you deserve for doing life well! Are you ready? Let’s focus on you!

1. What have you endured, this year? Reflect upon the changes in your life. Take in all that you have had to cope with this year. Thank yourself, simply, for going through them.
2. Did you stay hopeful and strong, despite the hardship you faced, this year? Don’t take for granted how hard it is to stay strong and hopeful during tough times. Resentment and bitterness can easily settle into your heart and mind, when things are hard. Thank yourself for staying hopeful of a better time. You have shown much wisdom here and deserve praise for remaining strong.
3. Acknowledge your big and small daily successes. You may have overcome a fear this year, or resisted emotional temptations that, in the past, have been your downfall. These are big accomplishments, emotionally and deserving of your praise. Or, perhaps, you are a loving mate, parent, grandparent, sibling or friend. Appreciate the positive ways you interact with people. This is unique to you and deserving of your praise.
4. Have you grown psychologically and spiritually this year? If you are involved in everyday life, then, what you know and believe has been challenged this year. Even if you’ve been holed up with just a computer and television, you have had to face differing opinions and views on politics, the environment, religion, marriage, world peace, and economics. This massive confrontation of what you know and believe is actually a good thing, psychologically, as it keeps you ever learning and adapting to change. Thank yourself for the ways in which you’ve emotionally and spiritually evolved, this year.
5. What are the ways in which you’ve forgiven yourself? With enough personal growth, you learn to forgive yourself for wrong choices or for putting off desires and goals that are important to you. Many of you chastise yourself, with self-hatred, resentment, and guilt, for the ways in which you’ve let yourself down. It’s not the mistakes you make or what you haven’t accomplished in life that defines you. Rather, it is what you learn and the kindness that you show to yourself in the service of growing that shows your character and strength. Thank yourself for any self-hate, resentment, or guilt that you have let go of this year.

How do you feel right now? If you feel slightly uncomfortable with giving yourself thanks, know that this is common. By definition, praise and thanks seem like something given only to other people. Even placing the smallest value on yourself will make many of you quite uncomfortable. But, remember, self-appreciation increases your good feelings and confidence in your ability to cope with stressful situations. It is healthful to appreciate your emotional and spiritual achievements. Thus, this Thanksgiving, thank yourself for doing life well.

If you liked my post today, please let me know by selecting the LIKE icon that follows. Also, you can share this post with others by selecting the Google +1 button or tweeting about it to your friends. Happy Thanksgiving friends. Warmly, Deborah.