During the Thanksgiving season, there is much talk of gratitude. People often think of and share what they are thankful for during the holidays. Many families carry out the tradition where they take turns around the Thanksgiving table sharing what for or why they are thankful. However, living in gratitude is not something to reserve for the holiday season. Gratitude is important year-round, especially for someone in recovery.

Year-Round Gratitude

Practicing gratitude is a tradition one should carry with them throughout the year. Thankfulness helps us appreciate the things we have, improve our health and our mood, and give us hope for the future.

When you live in gratitude, you take time to stop and remember the good. It means saying thank you to others for what they do for us, and doing nice things for others. It means looking forward to the future and having a hope for more good things to come.

How to Live in Gratitude

There are ways to help infuse gratitude into our lives. We can make a conscious effort to be thankful, but it should go beyond that. Living in gratitude can be accomplished by being content with what we have been given and making the best of every situation. For someone in recovery, this is especially beneficial, because people often have deep regrets about their past. When in recovery, it is important to leave the past behind us, forgetting the failures and disappointments, and being happy with where we are and what we have accomplished.

If you are in recovery this year, do not let your life of gratitude stop once the holidays are over. Continue to find the good things in life and be thankful for them. Continue to look toward a brighter future because of the opportunities you have been given right now in recovery. Let your gratitude be a year-round gratitude.