Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and everywhere people are preparing, shopping, and traveling for this holiday. At the same time, they are taking this time to express their thanks-- after all, it is THANKSgiving.

But should we just be thankful during thanksgiving? Do we really have to sacrifice one holiday to express our gratitude? The simple answer to these questions is no, because we can make small adjustments to our everyday lives to incorporate a sense of appreciation. In fact, there’s quite a bit of research being done that shows how feeling grateful more often can actually be beneficial.

Studies have shown that when one shows appreciation to someone or something, they feel a certain positivity and happiness. Gratitude can actually increase our well-being and energy levels. Additionally, recent studies have shown that gratitude is physically for our bodies. When we express our thanks, not only is a positive mental attitude developed, but gratitude may actually lower blood pressure and strengthen the immune system. It also encourages people to exercise more and take better care of their health.

In a study done by Paul Mills, a professor of family medicine and public health at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine, 186 men and women, average age 66, filled out a standard questionnaire to rate how grateful they felt for the people, places or things in their lives. Each of these testees already had some damage to their heart, either through sustained blood pressure, having survived heart attacks or an infection of the heart itself.

What does this study teach us? the results showed how the more grateful people were, the healthier they were. "They had less depressed mood, slept better and had more energy," said Mills.

But how can we incorporate gratitude into our daily lives? Here are a few simple tips. Try to say thank you every time someone holds the door for you, or try to smile at someone you don’t know. If you’re having a bad day, try to put everything into perspective and take some time to appreciate the things that you already have. It may not always be the big actions, but the little ones that add up.

So let’s take it this way, we don’t have to count our blessings and express our thanks only during thanksgiving, but we can do small little acts of kindness and gratitude everyday, that will, in the long run, make us happier people and the world around us just a bit more gracious.

Citations:
Neighmond, Patti. "Gratitude Is Good For The Soul And Helps The Heart, Too." NPR. NPR, 23 Nov. 2015. Web. 23 Nov. 2015.

"Gratitude Definition." Greater Good. University of California Berkeley, n.d. Web. 23 Nov. 2015.

Andersen, Erika. "How Feeling Grateful Can Make You More Successful."Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 27 Nov. 2013. Web. 23 Nov. 2015.