Happy Early Thanksgiving!

The first Thanksgiving took place in 1621 in Plymouth, Massachusetts. "The Wampanoag Native Americans helped the pilgrims, who arrived in Massachusetts, cultivate the land and fish, saving them from starvation." The pilgrims were thankful for this help from the Indians, and this thankfulness is what we continue to celebrate 389 years later.

Grateful People Are Happier, Healthier Long After the Leftovers Are Gobbled Up

By Melinda Beck, paraphrased by me

Giving thanks is good for your health. Maintaining an attitude of gratitude can improve psychological, emotional and physical well-being. Adults who frequently feel grateful have more energy, more optimism, more social connections and more happiness than those who do not. They're also less likely to be depressed, envious, greedy or alcoholics. They earn more money, sleep more soundly, exercise more regularly and have greater resistance to viral infections. They key is not to leave your gratefulness on the Thanksgiving table. Philosophers as far back as the ancient Greeks and Romans cited gratitude as an indispensable human virtue. One of the best cures for materialism is to make somebody grateful for what they have. Counting your blessings actually makes people feel better. As simple as it sounds, gratitude is actually a demanding, complex emotion that requires "self-reflection, the ability to admit that one is dependent upon the help of others, and the humility to realize one's own limitations." Being grateful forces people to overcome the "negativity bias" - the innate tendency to dwell on problems, annoyances and injustices rather than upbeat events. Focusing on blessings can help ward off depression and build resilience in times of stress, grief or disasters. Can people learn to look on the bright side, want what they have and be grateful for it? Experts believe that about 50 percent of such temperament is genetic, but the rest comes from experience, so there's ample opportunity for change. "Kids and adults both can choose how they feel and how they look at the world." The real benefits of being grateful come in changing how you experience the world. Look for things to be grateful for, and you'll start seeing them everywhere.