Gratitude is a powerful determinant of mental health, so it really isn’t surprising that we have an entire holiday dedicated to giving thanks. More than just a day off, Thanksgiving was created in order to encourage people to appreciate the bountiful harvest that typically occurs around this time of year. While the tradition of feasting on the seasonal goodness that October brings is still an important part of the Thanksgiving ritual, it is also an important reminder of the kind of gratitude that we should be practicing year-round.

In her book “The How of Happiness”, Sonja Lyubomirsky writes that, “…50 percent of individual differences in happiness are governed by genes, 10 percent by life circumstances, and the remaining 40 percent by what we do and how we think -that is, our intentional activities and strategies. The secret of course lies in that 40 percent.” There are many ways that we can take advantage of that 40 percent – we may create and work towards goals that are important to us, seek out new experiences, or try to change negative thinking patterns.

Negative thinking patterns can be difficult to alter, but one of the best strategies to that end is practicing gratitude. Regularly reminding yourself of the things that you are grateful for will reduce stress and ultimately make it easier to establish a more positive or optimistic mindset. Whether you mentally prepare a list of things to be grateful for during quiet moments in the morning or before bed, write them down in a journal, or outwardly express gratitude to important people in your life, if you are consistent chances are that over time you will notice those negative thinking patterns that were holding you back have started to disappear.

At Bliss we have a lot to be thankful for, but we are especially thankful for the supportive community that has allowed us to flourish these past three years. That is why this year we will be participating in Socktober, an initiative created by SoulPancake and Kid President in order to help people who find themselves living on the streets. Over the course of the next month we will be holding a sock drive for local shelters in an effort to try to keep our neighbours and community members who are homeless a little cozier this winter.

If you would like to participate, feel free to bring in a few pairs of socks to your next appointment and add them to our collection. Or, better yet, start a sock collection yourself with family and friends, or at work!

Ariel Benwell

For more information on the Socktober initiative, and gratitude, feel free to check out the links below:

http://soulpancake.com/socktober/

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-11819/scientific-proof-that-being-thankful-improves-your-health.html

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-22302/so-this-is-why-gratitude-makes-us-happier.html