#gratitude

#gratitude

Self-gratitude doesn't quite make sense because gratitude inherently involves acknowledging that the sources of goodness in our lives reside outside ourselves. When I "thank myself," what I truly mean is that I'm proud of myself. But pride and gratitude are different. When I feel proud, I attribute positive outcomes to my own efforts. Gratitude, however, recognizes external contributions -people around me, a higher power, nature, good fortune, and circumstances beyond my control.

One of the biggest adjustments newly minted single parents must make following a separation or divorce is adjusting to holidays without their children present, or present for only part of the time. Whether the kids are babies, teens, or young adults, the result can be an unfamiliar silence that can take some getting used to. As a family law attorney and divorced single mom (of four adult children) who remarried a divorced single dad of two more than a decade ago, my husband and I have walked (and are still walking) this road, just like you may be this holiday.

It's that time of year. The holiday season is filled with constant reminders to be more grateful and count your blessings. This rise in gratitude is the result of extensive research in the field of positive psychology touting its benefits on emotional well-being, sleep quality, interpersonal relationships, and overall health (1-4). Considering these benefits, you might be eager to encourage loved ones to practice more gratitude as a way to better cope with life's challenges.

Bipolar disorder I and II are each marked by lengthy periods of a depressive episode, which is expressed in a change in appetite (more or less eating), a change in sleep (more or less of it), anhedonia (i.e., the inability to experience pleasure in activities in which one did), and apathy (i.e., not caring about anything, including, at times, even pursuing treatment).

In that moment, something clicked. I felt the rush and the relief of sudden emotional clarity. I think this came from seeing that my psychoanalyst, by not apologising to appease my anger, by not taking an easy way out of the conflict, by persisting in offering me her honest thoughts about what was going on in my mind and by bearing my struggle to take them in, was giving me an extremely rare and precious experience.

Everyone's heard that expression, "Life is for the living." I've always assumed living in this context was a noun referencing all people currently alive. Now I'm looking at it as a verb. Think of it as a verb, as an action, as I say that life exists not for the dying of it, but for the living of it. Well, of course, right? Living occurs right now, in the present. Life is a gift.

It is a beautiful, late autumn morning as I sip a cup of coffee and watch the lingering, golden yellow leaves of a maple tree fall gently to the ground. The smell of banana bread completing its final minutes of baking wafts through the air. For this, I am thankful. This is the fifth consecutive year that I've been fortunate enough to publish this editorial here at Battery Power.

Every day, we have a choice whether we take our lives, our existence, our freedoms, and our moments for granted, or whether we express appreciation and gratitude for the good things that exist. The biggest unifier that all human beings have in common, that we all exist on the same world and in the same Universe, never gets the due it deserves. Here and now, it's possible for us to exist, and to exist as long as our natural lifespans will allow us.

It's a season for warm messages and "thank yous." This is why Thanksgiving serves as a reminder of the power of genuine gratitude in learning and the workplace, as well. In today's world of remote teams, deadlines, and constant learning, employees can easily feel overwhelmed. A simple "I appreciate you" can make a big difference to your team, as it can change the mood of the day, create a sense of connection, and remind everyone that their work is important.

I've never cared much for Thanksgiving. As a child, the forced family gathering was tolerable only because it marked the halfway point to Christmas (if we are measuring from Halloween, which is what we do in holiday math). As an adult, I came to understand some of the complications in celebrating a holiday with such a (distinctly American) white-washed backstory.

There is a particular ache that comes with knowing your family is seated at the dining room table, and a chair is conspicuously empty where you should be. This is the paradox of the first responder's life: serving the community, often witnessing the worst of humanity, while your own family sits comfortably at home, missing you. Yet within this tension lies something profound-a wellspring of meaning and gratitude that, when recognized, can transform a difficult shift into something sacred.

This article was a wonderful reminder of how much we really do need and how having a lot more cargo and cash doesn't give our lives meaning. At this fraught time, this identity crisis our country is going through, I wish for us all to be grateful for what we have and find a way for everyone in our country to have enough to feel safe, sheltered, nourished and maybe even happy.

Every day we're grateful for what we have,

You know the moment. Someone at the Thanksgiving table says, "Let's go around and share what we're grateful for," and suddenly you're scrambling. Your mind goes blank. You mumble something about family and health. You're not ungrateful: You're just experiencing what happens when gratitude becomes an obligation rather than an emotion. When practiced well, gratitude improves psychological well-being, strengthens relationships, and increases goal pursuit.

With the season of Thanksgiving upon us, many of us instinctively reach for gratitude. We make lists, we gather with family, and we remind ourselves to appreciate what is good. But in recent years, gratitude feels harder to cultivate. And we are not imagining it. Psychologically, emotionally, and culturally, we are living through an unusually heavy time. We carry political conflicts that divide communities and family tables.

As the season of gratitude approaches, most of us begin to think about the people, opportunities, and experiences that enrich our lives. These matter deeply. But in my work exploring the rewilding of the human mind, I've found that one of the greatest sources of support in our lives is something we rarely acknowledge-because it's all around us, all the time.

I'm very grateful to be doing what I'm doing, and when I feel like I don't want to do a video, it's like, 'That's what you're upset about, you don't want to be silly today?' he says. 'Like I would be killing myself trying to finish financial statements or worrying about having to fire someone at the gym because they weren't doing their job where I could potentially be ruining their lives,

Being your wife still feels like the best decision I ever made in life. I don't need the whole world; I just need you, my king. Even after all this time, my heart still skips a beat when I think of you. Thank you for loving me the way no one else ever could. You are my safe place, my strength, and my forever love. I fall in love with you a little more every single day.

First and foremost, please be kind to yourself. I do not need to know much about you, dear reader, to know that you are likely struggling with something: regret, guilt, sadness, anger, or pain. The reason I know this is because these experiences are universal to us all. Please treat yourself with kindness as you navigate these challenges because it makes the journey more bearable.

I was at a function recently where a former student and research assistant (twenty some years ago) was being recognized as a new board member for my university. I was thrilled for her and made my way over at the end of the evening to congratulate her. We caught up briefly and then she said something that stunned me. "When I worked in your office as a graduate student, I helped on the research for your articles and books about women expatriates."

It is 2008, and I am sitting in my grandmother's room, at the Salt Lick Safari Lodge within the Taita Hills Wildlife sanctuary in Kenya. It is a gorgeous place to stay, the villas appear almost rocket-shaped, standing high off the ground to prevent any wildlife from getting inside the rooms. All around there is lush greenery. Outside her window, many animals, including elephants, deer, and giraffes pass by.

The family huddled around in a circle, its flames flickering in the darkness. Sugar free lemonade quenched their thirsts while steamy chocolate warmed their bones.

MIKE's Tiny Desk performance showcases a reimagined sound, overflowing with gratitude, emotional depth, and a new artistic direction that reflects on his eight-year discography.