Gratitude and thankfulness dominate the month of November and the holiday season in general. Fall decorations have words like “gather,” “thankful,” and “grateful” plastered on pumpkins and pillows. But the holidays are not always the easiest or most enjoyable time for everyone. The period from November to December can be stressful, anxiety-inducing, or even saddening. However, the practice of gratitude is not just limited to the month of November. Practicing gratitude in everyday life can help us to be more present and see the best in our current situation. 

The “Three Good Things” method, specifically, is a really easy and simple way to practice gratitude. If you’ve been to the Student Wellness Center recently (3rd floor of Robo!), you might have seen a small notebook that says, “3 Good Things.” Each page provides a space where you can write down three things, big or small, that meet your definition of good. Taking a few minutes out of your day to reflect on the presence of good things in your life can really bring you back to the present moment, and ground you in a very different way of framing your experience. That paper or test looming and haunting you may just leave you alone for a couple of minutes. 

So, let’s try it right now. Ground yourself. Maybe, take out a piece of paper and pen to write it down. Or close your eyes. Ready? Let’s think of three good things from today, this week, or whenever. 

Here are some guiding questions:

1. What is the most recent good food you’ve had? 
2. Which place that you’ve visited recently has made you feel peaceful?
3. What is something that has made you laugh recently? 

I wanted to see what our Dartmouth community would include as good things around our campus so I asked around and gathered a list of what people are grateful for right now: 

1. Walks around Occom Pond 
2. The harvest dinner 
3. FOCO cookies 
4. Mindful coloring 
5. Crocheting 
6. Wellbeing playlists
7. Going apple picking 
8. Playing badminton 
9. Seeing performances at the Hop 
10. The nice fall weather we’ve been having 
11. Weekly dinners with floormates 

You don’t have to wait for something major to happen to celebrate something good in your life. Making space to remember three good things, in the midst of everything else you have going on can make a world of a difference. Take a deep breath and remember: there is always some good to be found.

Note: want a gratitude journal of your own? Stop by the SWC where they’re available for free! Grab some other wellness swag, get a snack, try our massage chair and/or our sun lamp, and say hi to our team! We are here for you!

Dear Dartmouth,

As the Fall term draws to a close, the ideas of celebration or thankfulness might be readily accessible to you, or they might be the furthest things from your mind. We know that the challenges are piling up as you push through midterms and class projects, and finals are looming. All that said, we also know that each day is more than a challenge to be overcome. To reference Mary Oliver, the wild geese are heading home again and the world offers itself to your imagination. I’m not one to interpret poetry, but somehow the sense that there is an order to things can be a source of hope, and turning our attention to the good in our lives can be a source of sustenance.

So this theme is about finding things worth celebrating, and things for which you’re thankful, and training yourself to recognize these things as a way to deepen your wellbeing while bringing good things to those around you. As I always do in these introductory posts, here are LB’s words on this theme:

Celebrating thankfulness is all about generating a thankful heart as a way to help you refocus on the things that are going well, especially during times when they might otherwise slip through the cracks of your awareness. It’s about recognizing and celebrating the things, people, opportunities and even the challenges that come into our lives and shape who we are.

From now through the end of the year, we encourage you to be intentional about noticing the good things by exploring ways to practice gratitude in your life. Here are a few way to get started:

• Say “Thank You” – Gratitude creates community. Say thank you to the people who keep things clean in your living spaces, who prepare your meals or clean up after them, who make up your community, and perhaps especially those who are there for you when you need someone. You might make someone’s day, and it can lift you up as well!
• Write and share a Gratitude Letter – Telling the most important people in your life what they have meant for you can provide a powerful source of connection, and has a strong evidence base for making a measurable change in your happiness. To learn more about how and why this works, or for some tips on this practice, check the link above.
• Follow Your Gratitude – Pick one thing you’re grateful for and try to thank all the people who helped make that possible. Need an example? Check out this talk from someone who chose to thank everyone who played a role in making his morning cup of coffee possible, and ended up expressing a ‘thousand thanks!

We know the challenges are real. We want you to know the good things are as well. If you ever find it difficult to find the good, please check in with us – we would love to be there for you.

Take care and be well,
Todd