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THOUGHTS FOR THANKSGIVING ON HAPPINESS AND MONEY

November, 2007

Orange Leaves

If you want to be happy, remember to give thanks for what you have this Thanksgiving. Don't just practice the ritual of saying thanks at the dinner table, but also actively think about some of the things for which you can truly be grateful. Give a moment to consider each of these things and to experience the sense of gratitude that acknowledging them brings. Do this regularly throughout the year and you will be enriching your life.

While I was researching and writing my book, Money and The Pursuit of Happiness, I became aware not only that giving thanks generates happiness but also that how we use our money can be an expression of thanksgiving. I learned that research in the area of positive psychology demonstrates that the active expression of gratitude - or expressing thanks for what we have received - will make you happier. In his book, Happier, Tal Ben-Shahar recommends that you write down at least five things that make you happy - things for which you are grateful. He claims that doing this exercise regularly can help people recognize and appreciate the positives in their lives.

What's money got to do with thanksgiving? Well, if we have enough money to live a reasonably comfortable and secure life, that is something to be thankful for. But beyond that, giving something back, or passing it on, is an active expression of gratitude for the abundance that we have received. The upcoming holiday season will provide many opportunities to give something back - not just gifts to loved ones, but money or some form of active help to those who are less fortunate than we are. Donating to some cause that will make the world a better place to live in, or doing something to help others are two ways to express gratitude for our good fortune.

Whatever you are doing and wherever you will be this Thursday, I wish you a very happy and healthy Thanksgiving.


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