There are a lot of myths around the first American Thanksgiving in 1621, but one thing is for sure. The Pilgrims were lucky to be alive, and they knew it.
The Gratitude Advantage: 4 Ways Giving Thanks Improves Your Life
“Eleven months earlier the Pilgrims had arrived at the tip of Cape Cod, fearful and uninformed,” says Nathaniel Philbrick in his history Mayflower. “By all rights, none of the Pilgrims should have emerged from the first winter alive.”
But they did. Thanks to God, their faith, and help from many Native Americans, they did more than survive. They began to flourish. And it’s a virtuous circle.
Most of us know this from personal experience, but for the last several years researchers have come to the conclusion that gratitude is a key component of helping people live happier and longer.
I know this is true in my life. It seem the more I give thanks, the more reasons I have for gratitude.
We all know that materialistic people who expect possessions to make them happy are usually unhappy—no matter how much stuff they get their hands on.
via The Gratitude Advantage: Four Ways Giving Thanks Improves Your Life – Michael Hyatt.