November immediately brings with it thoughts of Thanksgiving and the holiday season. The media is full of memes and quips about gratitude month or how to structure a busy month by taking baby steps to accomplish it. Holiday plans may involve extended family, which, for some, offers its degree of complexity. Every year, we see many valid tips and suggestions for easing November’s busyness or explaining why we should be so grateful during this particular month.
In some years, it also brings elections at different levels of government. Some people genuinely care about politics, and others do not. Regardless of what side you stood on the morning of election day this year, you likely thought this was one of the most critical elections in recent times — some may say, ever. It was not an election based on the historical differences between the two parties, and that’s agreed upon by pretty much all analysts, voters, and historians.
For some, combining the holiday and elections culminates in abundant joy, relief, and thankfulness for all things and outcomes. For others, it may mean disappointment, sadness, angst, or worry. Many individuals feel the latter more profoundly and viscerally this November than in most election — and holiday —years.
Holidays? Election? And?
Now that it’s over, regardless of your stand, the outcome will have significant personal, national, and global ramifications. Maybe you’ll agree with them, but perhaps they cause you deep, unshakable worry. Either way, the inevitable impact will happen. There are a lot of feelings right now, and statistically, the effects of those feelings cut across many families in different ways. Those families may have plans to gather around a table and express unified gratitude or joy at Thanksgiving or the holidays in December — and some may or may not be unified.
So – Now What November?
What do you have for me, December?
Facing the Reality of This Holiday Season
Really, let’s face it. November and the holidays feel like A LOT right now. Many families are divided. Some unified families are in full celebration mode, while other unified families sit stunned and frozen in complex emotions. And more families than I can count in my general sphere are deeply divided by the election outcome this year. My immediate family is not, but if yours is, you are not alone.
I won’t offer my opinion on how to handle that. It’s a profoundly personal decision regarding how one feels they can or cannot approach significant emotional divisions within a family. However, I can offer suggestions and reminders about what we usually see thrown around in an average November – gratitude and baby steps. If you remember one thing this holiday season:
Combining gratitude with baby steps fuels your power.
Gratitude for the Small Things
In 2010, if you asked me how gratitude worked, I would have explained that one should feel thankful for the big, important things in life: health, job, family, friends, etc. Now, those ARE important! But I learned that year that what fuels the power of gratitude is being aware of all the small things in life: the sun rising one morning, a smile from a stranger, someone holding the door, a healthy plant on your shelf, toilet paper, etc.
Research has shown that consciously practicing gratitude can reduce stress and anxiety. In fact, studies have found that a single act of thoughtful gratitude produces an immediate 10% increase in happiness, and a 35% reduction in depressive symptoms.
Powerful Baby Steps of Gratitude
Gratitude this November — while you may be facing some big post-election feelings or an uncomfortable holiday situation with family — is more critical than ever. No matter how you feel, dig deep to find tiny things to be grateful for.
It all starts with bits of gratitude.
Gratitude for daily, small things is healing — it’s POWER. It’s a choice. You can sit in the space of negativity and sadness or find what moves you forward due to all the small things you value in life. As a choice, gratitude is an attitude or disposition. It becomes part of your energy and your being.
Gratitude for the tiny fuels your resilience and energy. It grounds you in positivity, which enables clarity. It offers the key to moving forward and finding determination: hope. Gratitude doesn’t water down the significance of what you may be concerned about, but it does offer you the power to find solutions for yourself.
Take this small but mighty baby step towards moving into what your holiday season looks like. Think about how you will begin 2025 and what you will do to make a difference moving forward.
A Simple, Powerful Gift to Yourself
How? Every day, think about five small things for which you are grateful. EVERY. DAY. It may be hard initially, but it will begin to feel natural within a couple of weeks. Do it while exercising, in bed, washing dishes, walking the dog — wherever and whenever it works. There’s no wrong place, time, way, or process that is incorrect for being grateful. The beauty is that however feels right for you is correct.
I guarantee it will shift your mind and open doors to finding ways to move forward during this holiday season with yourself and your family — however, that looks for you. It will lift you from wherever you are and open the door to your next step. Gratitude reminds you of the feeling of hope, which is life-sustaining. It will help you find peace amidst the chaos, and that’s where the future lies.
