In the United States, the Thanksgiving Holiday is an occasion to collectively express gratitude for all of our blessings. This is our favorite holiday because we know how powerful the attitude of gratitude can be in effecting positive change in our lives. More than any other emotion, gratitude results in an instant elevation of how we feel. Focusing our attention on what we appreciate not only feels really good, it enhances our level of well being in every area of our lives, physically, mentally and spiritually.

Holidays can sometimes activate unpleasant family dynamics, stir up old resentment, or cause us to feel sad and lonely if we’re not able to share the day with loved ones.

To avoid slipping into a funk when these feelings get activated, we use a technique that’s simple but very powerful called Ho’oponopono. It’s an ancient Hawaiian approach to family system healing.

We repeat the mantra: I’M SORRY, FORGIVE ME, THANK YOU, I LOVE YOU, to ourselves throughout the day. Addressing our inner selves we’re saying, I am sorry for thinking any thoughts that disturb my own peace of mind, I ask for forgiveness for creating this disturbance, I give thanks for the realignment of my thinking to a vibration that resonates with peace and love and, finally, I say ‘I love you’ to express deep acceptance and appreciation of my own inner self.

The degree to which we can love and care for ourselves, is the extent to which we’ll be able to love anybody else. The most loving people are masters first of loving and accepting themselves.

It doesn’t really matter whether we’re alone or with family and friends on Thanksgiving Day because there are always things to be grateful for. We can begin with the things we often take for granted, such as our ability to see, smell, taste, hear, touch and love.

Today is the 5th anniversary for Gratitude Twenty Four Seven. The daily practice of writing these has had a profound effect on the quality of our (Jarl’s and Steve’s) lives individually, together and in our dealings with others. Knowing that there are people out there who are benefiting from our daily messages has helped immensely to keep us motivated. So we would like to take this opportunity to send a big, heartfelt THANK YOU to all of you who read our work. We hope that it’s benefited you as much as it has us.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Jarl and Steve