Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Wednesday!!

I wanted to take a moment and wish you all a happy and safe Thanksgiving, but especially to ask you to take a minute as well and reflect on the things that you are thankful for. 

Facts: 

• On the fourth Thursday of November, people in the United States celebrate Thanksgiving, a national holiday honoring the early settlers and Native Americans who came together to have a historic harvest feast. 
• The peace between the Native Americans and settlers lasted for only a generation. The Wampanoag people do not share in the popular reverence for the traditional New England Thanksgiving. For them, the holiday is a reminder of betrayal and bloodshed. Since 1970, many native people have gathered at the statue of Massasoit in Plymouth, Massachusetts, each Thanksgiving Day to remember their ancestors and the strength of the Wampanoag.
• Modern Thanksgiving has evolved into family gatherings that include gaming, food feasts, and other religious preferences that take place. 

But do we ever truly take a minute to be thankful? To recognize where we are in life right now and reflect on the good that we have? You know, we go through our day to day lives in “survival” mode. Wake up, work/school/house chores, run errands, run around with kids/family members, eat(perhaps), sleep and do it all over again the next day. If this seems familiar to you, I would like to encourage you to take a moment either today or tomorrow to please reflect on what you currently have. We cannot control what we don’t have, but we can focus and be thankful for what we have today. 

I would also love to challenge you to reach out to those who you may not have been in contact with recently (family, friends, others) and spend a few minutes asking about their lives. Share your recent experiences, be still in the moment, engage in the conversation and truly be present. There is so much pressure around us each day that we sometimes forget about the simplest things in life and that could just be a genuine fresh conversation with a close friend, family member, partner, colleague, etc. Give yourself this time to cherish those around you, those who love you and support you. Connect with them, share with them how much they mean to you. 

This time a year does not only have to be about gifts, food, extravagant outings; it can be more meaningful to share with a loved one how much you love them and appreciate them. Fill your heart with gratitude by doing these things. Benevolence comes from within and not from artificial actions. 

“Your mind shines brightest when you enlighten others, your heart when you encourage others, your soul, when you elevate others, and your life, when you empower others” - Matshona Dhliwayo

Have a wonderful, joyful, safe, and positive Thanksgiving! 

Much love, 

Deimys Vigil, MSN, APRN, PMHNP – BC 

Mindful Minds Psychiatry