“Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom” - Marcel Proust Practicing Gratitude by Brandon Priddy, Public Services Librarian This Thanksgiving may not be traditional for many of us this year, but that doesn’t mean we have to forget the intention of the holiday. This year has brought a lot of negative things, but hopefully we all still have things in our lives we can be grateful for and use this time as an opportunity to express our gratitude to the friends and loved ones who are important to us. Another useful activity I have discovered is keeping a gratitude journal. Once a day, write down something that you’re thankful for (it can be a little thing or something major). Eventually, the journal will fill up and you’ll have pages of material to reflect on and appreciate. Because it's so easy to focus on the negative (especially now!), these journals help us reframe how we view our lives and help us practice mindfulness. Dwelling on the positives in our lives can help us cope with difficult circumstances. I use a simple app called Gratitude, but there are a lot of free ones available both on Apple and Android platforms. Check out a list here. Of course you don’t need an app to do this!, you can use any notebook, diary, or journal you have on hand. I also recommend the Gratitude Diaries: How a Year Looking on the Bright Side Can Transform Your Life by Janice Kaplan. The author got, “advice at every turn from psychologists, academics, doctors, and philosophers, she brings readers on a smart and witty journey to discover the value of appreciating what you have…Relying on both amusing personal experiences and extensive research, Kaplan explores how gratitude can transform every aspect of life.” Available on OverDrive. Secondly, check out The Great Courses series Building Your Resilience: Finding Meaning in Adversity (specifically Episode 16 “Opening to Joy and Gratitude”) the series teaches how to build resilience by practicing self-care, getting better sleep, following simple exercises like yoga, and letting go of our reoccurring negative thought patterns. Available on Kanopy. Obviously food is another important component of Thanksgiving, but if you’re scaling back dinner this year and struggling to find recipes for a smaller crowd, check out The Complete Cooking for Two Cookbook by America’s Test Kitchen. The creators, “reengineered 650 of [their] best recipes to serve just two” and “this comprehensive cookbook takes the guesswork out of cooking for two so you can be sure that anything you want to make…will come out right (and perfectly proportioned) every time.” via OverDrive. Likewise, The Ultimate Cooking for One Cookbook: 175 Super Easy Recipes Made Just for You by Joanie Zisk is another great pick. The book promises to help you, “make a fresh, delicious, home-cooked meal for one without creating a week's worth of leftovers or leaving an abundance of unused fresh ingredients that quickly go to waste. Each of the 175 single-serving recipes are quick and simple to make and save you both time and money.” Also on OverDrive. Both Library eBook services have a lot of cookbooks, so check them out! Finally, if you’re looking for ways to stay in touch with family and friends this Holiday season, why not hop on Skype, FaceTime, or Zoom and get a board game going online? You can play free online versions of Code Names, Scattergories, Carcassonne, and a lot of other favorites on boardgamearena.com. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! |
