That atrophies with underuse and strengthens with regular, focused practice. Once a year just isn’t enough.
For some, Thanksgiving Day can feel like a race that they haven’t trained for. All of the fanfare is exciting, but the real benefits and deepest joys are missed.
Every day ought to be Thanksgiving, if for no other reason than mental health. It matters little to whom or for what the thanks is given. The effect is still the same.
Here’s a little Bible:
I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart;
I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.
Psalm 9:1
Here’s a little science:
Whole-hearted, heartfelt gratitude releases dopamine and serotonin in our brains—the neurotransmitters responsible for happiness. Gratitude is a natural anti-depressant.
What’s more, reliving a positive experience releases another hit of dopamine and serotonin just like the one our brains loved in the moment.
God hard-wired us to thrive in thankfulness. The Biblical writers, and countless since, bear witness to this. Science now confirms it.
Thanks be to God!
