Gratitude brings Peace and Joy...

Ok, it's time for a step on my soapbox and talk about Thanksgiving...
You know the holiday that is being trampled on by the retailers promoting Christmas.

Gratitude and Thanks are the topics for today.  Being grateful and thankful are not cheesy, but are necessary for Peace and Joy.

Thanksgiving is not about the meal.  Shocking, I know.  It's about being grateful for the people and things in your life, not planning your shopping in the evening for the things you want.

Things are not completely lost, though, when on Facebook this month a lot of people are posting once a day for the things they are grateful for.  I have a radical idea... keep the gratitude going.   I keep a gratitude journal all year round.  Every day, I write down 5 things that I am grateful for.  Sometimes, it's a struggle and others I could come up with 20 with no problem.  The key is to stay with 5 every day so it's consistent.  What I have noticed from doing this is a great deal of peace and joy, because when you focus on what you have, you'll be happier.

Melissa.