An Attitude of Gratitude Taking the time to acknowledge who and what you’re grateful for is a Thanksgiving tradition far more important than turkey or football.
Should Last Beyond Thanksgiving
benefits. Adults who keep gratitude journals on a regular basis exercise more regularly, report fewer illness symptoms, feel better about their lives as a whole, and are more optimistic about the future.” HOW TO PRACTICE GRATITUDE In the above quotation from Dr. Emmons, he mentions the practice of keeping a gratitude journal. This activity is a great way to start seeing the world with a more positive, appreciative eye. As often as you can, take a few minutes to write down the acts, people, and moments that you’re grateful for. Some will be big, others small — but all will have an impact on your mood and bring a smile to your face. Before you know it, you’ll have an entire book full of good memories and warm feelings. While keeping a journal is great, there are other ways to go about cultivating and expressing gratitude. The easiest one is simply to say “Thanks” whenever you can. It may seem insignificant, but you’d be surprised what a difference it makes. When you approach the world with the perspective that every day is Thanksgiving, it’s only natural to be grateful. We all have moments when we want to curse the world, especially as we get older, and those experiences are perfectly normal. Just as frequently, though, we have moments that are worth celebrating, often with people who are worth appreciating. Which will you think about more?
It’s the cornerstone of the holiday and the reason we feast together in the first place. But when you really think about it, should expressing our gratitude and appreciation for others be limited to one day every year? Of course not!
WHY GRATITUDE MATTERS As we get older, it’s easy to succumb to negativity and pessimism — “Kids these days,” “The world isn’t what it used to be,” etc. The crabby grandparent and angry old neighbor are archetypal depictions of later life. But these fictions don’t have to be your reality. Recognizing and acknowledging gratitude will help you take stock of the positive aspects of your life and dwell less on unhappy thoughts. Being grateful has also been linked to significant health benefits. According to gratitude expert and author Dr. Robert A. Emmons, “Preliminary findings suggest that those who regularly practice grateful thinking do reap emotional, physical, and interpersonal Giving Thanks In his book called “A Simple Act of Gratitude” author John Kralik shares the story of how he set out to write 365 thank-you letters in the course of a year. Kralik was at a very low point in his life when he made this resolution. Reflecting on everything that was going wrong, he went for a hike in the foothills and had a realization: “I needed to learn to be grateful for the things I had, rather than to focus on the things I wanted or the many things I felt I had lost.” He made the resolution then and there and began handwriting thank-you notes to people in his life, including random strangers. The experience of practicing gratitude changed his life. We were inspired by Kralik’s message, and we wanted to say thank you to you, our community, and our patients for being the reason we love what we do. Since joining the Star Valley community, it’s been our joy to serve your dental needs. Seeing your smiles every day is what keeps us inspired and motivated. It means so much to us that we get to bring even more smiles to Star Valley by improving the dental health of people here. We’re also grateful to all our patients who’ve shared their great experience at Livingston Dental with their friends and family. To Our Community
We love your referrals! They help us grow and treat others who benefit from dental care.
You mean a lot to us, and events like the Patient Appreciation Party are opportunities for us to show our thanks. We’re excited to continue doing fun activities and events like this in the coming year to celebrate our patients.
Thank you for being part of this journey with us, and have a happy Thanksgiving!
DENTAL BENEFITS REMINDER:
As we get close to the end of the year, time is running out to use your 2018 dental benefits. Here’s a friendly reminder to not let your insurance benefits go to waste. If you have any unused dental benefits, use them now before they run out. Get your appointment scheduled for your cleaning, filling, or any other service that you need. Don’t put it off any longer — our schedule is filling up fast! Call us today to schedule your appointment. We look forward to seeing you!
2 (307) 885-4337 | www.drlivingstondds.com
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