Today is another one of those moments of gratitude we do not often think about. Be honest, when was the last time you sat down and thought to yourself, “What tradition am I grateful for?” It has probably been quite some time, if you have ever done that at all. When we talk traditions, the first thing to come to many people’s minds are holidays. My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. There are a few traditions to this holiday. There is gathering with family and a big meal. What I have found that younger generations are a little less enthusiastic about traditions than previous generations. This is both good and bad. On one hand traditions are what keep us together. It is a communal action that we all can be a part of. On the other hand, it is good to question why we are doing certain traditions and what are the impacts of them.
This leads me to what I am grateful for when it comes to tradition. The potential of traditions themselves. Many of our traditions are passed down from generations prior. If we can take a fresh look at them and add our own twist the traditions can serve us better. We can even develop new and empowering traditions. How can a tradition be empowering? How about when you see a friend you begin by both sharing one thing you are grateful for about the other? This would not only add joy to the encounter, but have you thinking about why you are grateful for that person when you are not together. How about the tradition of expressing one thing you love about your spouse every time you come home from work? That, again, would have you thinking about why you love them all day long or at least the whole drive home.
You do not even need to involve other people to create a powerful tradition. You could start each day by paying yourself a compliment in the bathroom mirror. How about once a week writing down one thing about yourself that you are grateful for? These do not involve others but still can empower you. You can start a tradition that brings you love, joy or laughter to your life. Traditions should be a fun event you look forward to. It should not be an obligation. Having a tradition that you look forward to that can also help you to become the best version of yourself is certainly something to look forward to. That is why the potential of tradition is something I look forward to! How about you? What tradition do you look forward to?
SECRET 2 AN AMAZING LIFE 