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Cut to the chase: expressing gratitude makes you happier.
How?
First, when we stop to think about things we are grateful for, that action promotes mindfulness and a positive outlook in general. This can open the door to greater empathy, compassion, and can also lead to more and greater friendships and even business connections. Expressing your gratitude not only makes the other person feel good, but it makes you feel good as well. It could be one of the best self-care activities we take on.
So try to be mindful on a daily basis -- not just at Thanksgiving -- for all the things that make you grateful. You may want to keep a gratitude journal. This might be very helpful to look back on when you are at one of your lower emotional times, helping you remember all that is positive that you appreciate in your life.
Some other ways to cultivate gratitude include writing a thank you note or a letter of thanks. Let someone know how much you appreciate them and why. Another action you can take is to pray or meditate. This clears your mind of the daily static that keeps us from clarity and allows you to live in the moment for a bit, reducing stress and calming yourself.
This year, I, for one, would like to express my gratitude for some things that are non-tangible that people don't often think about. And those would be opportunity and possibility. I am so grateful to be living a life where I can be open to possibility, which opens the door to more opportunity.