I’m sure many of you will be spending time with your friends and family this Thanksgiving. I will be doing the same. I’m headed to PA to be with my parents, grandma, and my brother and his wife for some relaxation and great food : )

I love this time of year as it really reminds me to reflect on all that I am grateful for in my life.  Over the years, I have come to realize the power of gratitude in creating a happy life. I was recently gifted a beautiful pink leather journal which has now become my gratitude journal. I make sure to open it every morning and write down one thing that I was so grateful for in the past 24 hours and WHY. I believe connecting with the “why” is so important because it allows me to truly understand and appreciate the joy of that moment which has a lasting positive effect.

Last month I met one of my favorite teaching assistants from Harvard after many years. His name is Shawn Achor and he has now become a well-known speaker and author on the topic of “happiness.” He shared that in his research he has learned that only 10% of peoples’ happiness is determined by their circumstances and 90% by the way they perceive the world. So this Thanksgiving and going forward, let us make efforts to perceive the world from a place of gratitude and let us enjoy the ripple effects of happiness this will create for us!

Wishing you a very Happy Thanksgiving.

With love,