Did you know that Thanksgiving was first celebrated back in 1621?
With the help of Indians, the pilgrims survived a bitter winter and had a bountiful harvest following.
In celebration they did a traditional English harvest festival lasting 3 days, which brought the pilgrims and natives to unite in a “Thanksgiving” observance.
The original Thanksgiving harvest meal is believed to be deer, fish, wild fowl, a native variety of corn (for cornbread and porridge), peas, beans and squash.
George Washington proclaimed it a National holiday in 1789 and Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November in 1863. In 1941 it was sanctioned a legal holiday….. read the whole story here
Giving thanks and having gratitude
Our modern lifestyle keeps us so busy we often forget to be thankful for everything we’ve got.
All the sudden another week goes by, then a month, and before you know it, a new year arrives…
We see and hear about hate and devastation every single day. People loose homes to the power of nature, loose their job or maybe even their loved ones!
Thanksgiving is about taking the time so stop for a minute and give thanks and have gratitude for what we have. There are so many little things to be grateful for once you start thinking about it.
Today, Thanksgiving is about being with our loved ones, enjoy a day of great food, conversation and gratitude. For many families Thanksgiving is the one time a year everyone is together.
One of my Seven Steps is Gratitude
Some of the benefits of being Grateful is a decrease in stress hormones (cortisol and norepinephrine) which benefits your metabolism. The coronary arteries relaxes which increase blood supply to your heart. The breathing becomes deeper which increases the oxygen level of the tissue. You will also feel mental changes. The mood gets better and you will get a more positive look.
Try to write down at least 5 things you are grateful for every day. You will be surprised to discover the positive impact it will have on you.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone