The leaves have turned from their bright and cherry greens
to the reds, ambers, oranges and yellows, and even though they are no longer
alive, their beauty as they fill our streets and lawns is unsurpassable. Autumn
is officially here, bringing with it the colder temperatures, pumpkin spice
lattes, football, and the holiday spirit that perfectly encompasses this
pleasant transition into winter. Furthermore, it is almost Thanksgiving, one of
the most iconic holidays of the year marked by more football, grand feasts, and
togetherness with friends and family. Like the leaves whose beauty doesn’t
falter after life, it is important this Thanksgiving to take some time, truly
show thanks to those around you, and practice a little gratitude for what they
have done for you.
“When you practice gratefulness, there is a
sense of respect towards others” – Dalai Lama
In
the rapid speeds of our lives, composed of paying bills, working a job, getting
enough sleep, eating well, getting exercise, spending time with family, taking
care of the house, and the million other things that we try to pack into our
short days, it is quite easy to continually focus on our own personal happiness
instead of showing our appreciation for others. Gratitude is defined as the
quality of being thankful, as well as the readiness to show appreciation for
and to return kindness, and this idea of gratitude has proved to be a major
component of not only personal happiness, but of a greater vision of a complete
and fulfilling life. Known around the world as a great inspiration and much
more, the Dalai Lama has focused on the idea of gratitude as a major component
of his theories and wisdom, and in turn helping us cope with the finite nature
of our lives and to make our lives much more fruitful. The process to truly
feel and show gratitude not only for your loved ones, but everyone is actually
quite simple, and it doesn’t require a life-altering change, a switch to
Buddhism, or anything else for that matter.
As
stated wonderfully by the Dalai Lama:
While
sitting around the Thanksgiving table, it may seem awkward and it may take a
bit of courage, but telling your aunt that you haven’t seen in a couple of
years and who is really taking to the wine strongly that you really enjoy
seeing her here not only does wonders for her, but it also serves to increase
your happiness, confidence, and mental well being. No matter if it is your
brother, your best friend, your aging great-grandmother, or anyone, take some
time to simply be grateful and make sure that you tell them this.
Furthermore, if you think that this
is just a bunch of spirituality hoo-hah and you really dread being forced in
the same room with much of your family, you should take a look on how being
grateful scientifically benefits the mind. Known as “The Science of Happiness –
An Experiment in Gratitude”, this experiment takes a handful of participants
and asks them to take a variety of questionnaires and happiness tests. These
marks are scored, and afterwards, these same participants are asked to think of
someone who really has made a change in their lives, someone who was really
influential and important. The participants then had to write down as much as
they could about this person. However, unsuspecting to the participants, they
were asked to call this person and read their “letter”. Further happiness tests
were scored after the phone call, and the results from this experiment were
astounding, resulting in a 4 to 19-percent increase in happiness for those who
made contact with their influential person.
If you would like, you can watch
the full experiment here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHv6vTKD6lg
As a supplement to this experiment,
the Dalai Lama also made a point to say, “Happiness
is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.”
“The various features and
aspects of human life, such as longevity, good health, success, happiness, and
so forth, which we consider desirable, are all dependent on kindness and a good
heart.” – Dalai Lama
