National Gratitude Month – November
Yvette M. Calleiro reminds me of a Calm calendar for November. You can download it if you’re interested.
National Gratitude Month is celebrated every November. It was declared the month of gratitude in 2015 after author Stacey Grewal advocated for it.
“Gratitude is an essential ingredient of a happy, fulfilling life,” said Grewal, who wrote the book Gratitude and Goals. “Research shows that practicing daily gratitude can enhance our moods, decrease stress and drastically improve our overall level of wellbeing. This challenge is a great opportunity to see if you can improve your life by getting more in touch with gratitude.” Grewal pointed out that, on average, grateful people tend to be happier, healthier; more physically fit, have a higher income and have much more satisfying personal and professional relationships. – PR Newswire
“Gratitude – The quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.” – Oxford Dictionary
I will take time to relax, reflect on things I’m thankful for this year, write, and be with my extended family to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday.
I will focus on expressing gratitude in many ways :
1. Write a daily gratitude journal (could be brief)
2. Wake up filling my mind and my heart with thankfulness
3. Be grateful for health (good or not so good) and being alive
4. Be intentional to show appreciation to family members, friends, and people around me.
5. Stop and be thankful for the safe environment
6. Appreciate the natural beauty around me
7. Be generous in giving in a tangible way
What would you add to this list? I would like to hear it.
This means my blogging time will be reduced. I have two posts later in the month. Other than that, I’ll resume posting in December, in time to celebrate Christmas.
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The Showers of Blessings 
I know I am reading this post late, but what a great idea. I try to be thankful everyday of my life. I find being grateful and thankful also leads to being more positive. Being positive is contagious and often gets others thinking about the good things in their own lives. I love your list, Miriam. And as I am reading this on the 25th, Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, Miriam. 💖😀🌞
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Miriam, a beautiful post of gratitude and at last all the posts and tweets about gratitude makes sense. How wonderful to have a whole month dedicated to it! Your list reflects what I would have written and I note how you’ve added ‘ Be grateful for health (good or not so good)’ – quite. Even not the best of health is something to celebrate.
I wish you a very special and enriching month …and also enriching the lives of those close to you. I am grateful for friends like you here on WP – for the warmth and love you gives to us all. hugs xx ❤️🙏
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Thank you so much, Annika. This month is a special time for me. It has been wonderful to take it easy and count my blessings. I’ll do a post at the end of the month to reflect on “my list.” I invited the blogging friends to add to the list. One person added “forgiveness.” How wonderful! There was one person who did me wrong. I even forgot this person’s name, but the name came up there last couple of weeks. It gave me a chance to forgive this person.
There are so many things to be thankfully for.
Than you so much for your comment, Annika! 💞😍🙏
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Miriam, forgiveness is an excellent addition and I’m glad you found an opportunity to forgive the person. I look forward to your next post … take care .xx
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Life is good! Great list
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Thanks for a nice reminder to be grateful for some things we often take for granted.
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You’re welcome, Dan! Wishing you the best birthday ever!
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Thanks Miriam.
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You’re welcome, Dan.
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Excellent, Miriam. I love the ideas. I’m considering unplugging from computer stuff and trying something similar.
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When I took a break previously, I didn’t announce it and a few bloggers worried. This time, I announced it so I’m more relaxed in taking a break! You have the biggest excuse to take a break right now!
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Good point. It’s because we all enjoy your posts!
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I guess when we follow each other, we want to show up consistently!
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A wonderful way to acknowledge, empower, and celebrate gratitude, Miriam. I love you list and the link between gratitude and happiness. So true. Have a wonderful month.
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Wonderful list, Miriam! I would add, “I will be more forgiving so I can turn my focus towards the beautiful things in life.”
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Forgiveness is a wonderful thing to add to the list, Priscilla. I’ll add it to my list. I am mindful of doing all these things.
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What a beautiful post to remind us how amazing life is! I join you in a heart full of thankfulness, Miriam!
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Thank you, Jan. It’s wonderful to wake up with a grateful mind. I write my journal before doing anything in the day. It opens my mind and my heart for the little things I could have overlooked.
Thank you for your comment, Jan. I’ll be back to blogging next month. My daughter’s family is coming to visit. I’m so excited to prepare the house and get things set up for my granddaughters.
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A lovely reminder Miriam… the older I get the more grateful I have become.. ♥
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Exactly, Sally! I don’t have to look too far or think too hard to appreciate what I have and who I am. Thank you for your comment. I’ll check the blogs but will resume doing post next month. My daughter’s family is coming for Thanksgiving. I’m excited to prepare for their visit. ❤
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Fantastic Miriam that is wonderful news..♥
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I count my blessings every day, Sally. 💖
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Thank you for sharing this lovely post, Miriam. It is very uplifting.
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I just found out about this. I’m taking this month of from blogging, Robbie. I have several doctor’s appointments for orthopedic problems. My daughter’s family is visiting us for the Thanksgiving. I’m getting the ghost ready for them. I also want to take time to do some writing. I have a couple of posts toward the end of the month.
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Hi Miriam, I hope you have a good month and your doctors visits go well. I’ll see you when you get back.
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Despite the many challenges we’ve gone through here in North America, I still feel extremely grateful to live where we do.
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Thank you for setting us on this grateful path. Your list is a deep breath. Donna
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You’re welcome, Donna! I find it refreshing writing my short journal in the morning. Then you for your comment.
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I didn’t know that the month of November is celebrated as National Gratitude Month. Thanks for this knowledge . Anyway , Gratitude is the way through which one can express solidarity with others . A noble way to have friendship alive . Thus , Gratitude is the essential ingredient of happiness in life . I went through your blog. Please read my blogs also . Thanks.
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I found out after I did a research, Arbind. It’s good to have a time focusing on being grateful and appreciative. Thank you for your comment.
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Nice to listen from you .
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I didn’t know that November is National Gratitude Month. I appreciate your reminder that we need to express gratitude as well as feel it.
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I didn’t know either, Liz. It makes sense to me to set aside time to focus on gratefulness. I do that before getting out of bed, then write it down.
My daughter, her hubby, and the kids are coming from Portland to spend Thanksgiving with us. It gave me so much excitement and energy to get the rooms ready for them. Yay! ☺️
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How exciting! Holidays are always so much better when the whole family is there.
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It’s exciting, Liz! We’ll have the Thanksgiving dinner at my husband’s brother’s house. Other sibling’s families will be there. My sister and her two daughters will be there also. The last time we had so many people was in 2018.
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Hail, hail, the gang’s all here!
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Haha, thank you for sharing my excitement!
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You’re welcome, Miriam!
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💖
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I love this post and your intentions, Miriam 🙂 I have a grateful tree with leaves on it where family has written what they are grateful for that is associated with Thanksgiving. I like the idea spreading it out all month! Xo
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I love the idea of a grateful tree. As time goes by, we sometimes forget. It’s a reminder of what we’re thankful for. I wrote my gratitude journal this morning. ❤
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What a lovely post to begin this month, Miriam, and my list is a photocopy of yours. I think the only thing I would add which goes without saying is being thankful for my home. We notice more homeless people living on the streets and in trailers and vans and it is heartbreaking. So I am grateful for the roof over our heads and the heat to warm us as the weather turns colder. Thank you for this reminder. ❤️
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I would add that to my list also, Lauren. I started this morning by being thankful for three things before getting out of bed. I wrote the journal of these three things before turning on the computer. I feel thankful! ❤
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Love this, Miriam! Have you seen the Calm calendar for November? I think you’d love it. 😊
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No, I didn’t, Yvette, but I just downloaded it. I’ll add the link to this post. I started my journal and named three things I’m grateful for. ❤
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Nice post for attitude
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Thank you, Rajkkhoja!
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What a lovely post, Miriam – it makes me feel very grateful, too. Toni x
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I feel very grateful also, Toni! Thank you.
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It’s all about what attitude we decide to choose. Some people always seem to focus on the negative and like to complain, but I enjoy being around positive people who are grateful for their blessings.
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I’m drawn to positive people also, Pete. In my counseling, changing the negative people is like pulling up a cow. In my personal life, I need all the positive thoughts to keep me going.
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We express our gratitude for your helpful post.
Everyday starts with expression of gratitude and we are in a mood to provide a helping hand.
Thank you
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Thank you, Philo! I started my November this morning being thankful for three things. As soon as I had my coffee, I wrote the journal of these three things. I feel thankful!
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Wonderful write!
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