holidays
Family | Mental Health | Stress | Transitions / Change | holidays
Putting Some “Thanks” in Your Thanksgiving
There is a special field of research in psychology called “positive psychology” that studies the “science of gratitude.” Positive psychology has been around for a while, but recently it has gained credibility under the scrutiny of science. Scientists have made important discoveries about thankfulness. Research has actually shown that practicing thankfulness decreases depression and anxiety! Its all explained in a book by Robert Emmons called “Thanks!: How the new science of gratitude can make you happier.” Continue
Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers out there! Nobody loves us like our mothers, right? The quote “A face only a mother could love” is a testament to the staying power of motherly love. A mother’s love and nurturing are often taken for granted. Remembering the significance of mothers in our society is a big reason that mother’s day was first established by Anna Marie Jarvis. She was a West Virginian by the way. Continue
Think about the following questions, and take some time to come up with your answers. What’s most meaningful to you about the holidays? What would your Thanksgiving and Christmas be like if they were truly wonderful? What makes it all worth it? Many say that what makes it wonderful is time to enjoy relationships with family and friends, a time to refocus on what’s really important, celebrating Jesus’ birth, doing good for others, and so on. Continue
With the end of Thanksgiving, the “Holiday Season” is in full swing. In addition to the everyday grind, there is all this extra stuff to do to get ready for the holidays: shopping, baking, planning reunions, planning parties, wrapping, decorating, putting Christmas trees in stands, getting hunters out of tree stands, and numerous other tasks. Why do we put ourselves through this every year? The Scrooges and Grinches of the world see it as a waste of time, all this pointless effort for one frenzied day of consumerism. Those who love Christmastime hold this time as a special time of togetherness with family and friends. Continue
