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How to Practice Gratitude This Thanksgiving

How to Practice Gratitude This Thanksgiving

It’s time to dig out that gratitude journal from under the bed—you know, the one with the shiny gold foiling that you swore was an investment?

We’ve all been enamored with the idea of being mindful, changing our lives for the better and becoming optimistic members of society. The truth is, this concept is considerably overwhelming—jotting down things you’re grateful for can feel insincere, awkward and like the last thing you’d want to do after a hard day.

If you stick with it though, practicing gratitude can help you to experience more positive emotions, feel more alive, sleep better, be more compassionate and can strengthen the immune system.

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, here’s how to be truly thankful for delicious turkey and much more.

Get real

 It takes 30 days to build a habit—so don’t worry if journaling feels alien at first. Set an initial goal to list five things that you’re grateful for every night, for one week. By acknowledging this target, you’re telling yourself that this is something you’re going to commit to.

At the same time, realizing that building a habit requires dedication will allow you to recognize that sometimes life gets in the way. For example, if you know you’ll be too exhausted to open your journal at night, allocate a few minutes during the day to practice being grateful. If you accidentally skip a day, be grateful that you’ll have even more to be thankful for the day after. 

Practice mindfulness

The physical act of journaling can be powerful, but it is the practice of reflecting on your day and sitting with a feeling of gratitude that will train your brain to feel happier. Being mindful simply means being conscious and aware of yourself and your environment, not that you have to sit in a lotus position with your eyes closed.

Notice when you feel joy during the day, or take a few breaths at your desk to reflect on your emotions. Tracking moments that make you feel grateful as they happen, so that you can write them down later, is a fun way to stay aware and feel better throughout the day. Make it a game to find new things to be thankful for each day, so that your brain is always occupied with finding the positives around you.

Pick up a pen

Did you know that writing things down has psychological benefits such as enabling you to think on a larger scale, learn more, and drastically improve your memory? Luckily, this doesn’t mean that you have to write an essay every night.

The physical act of journaling forces you to consciously think about the words that you’re writing, which helps your brain to recreate feelings of gratitude and happiness. It’s also rewarding to look back and see all the things you’ve had to be grateful for over a period of time.

Don’t try so hard 

Journaling is an indulgent hobby—it’s about communicating with yourself, and this is a good thing. Self-compassion often translates into treating others with kindness.

The actual things you write about aren’t actually too important. You’re the only person experiencing this gratitude (and likely the only person reading your journal, too). Of course, you’re probably extremely grateful for your family and for having a roof over your head, but you don’t have to write those words down every night. Instead, focus on specific incidents that may have provoked small feelings.

If you were grateful for a home-cooked meal, make a note of it. If you were thrilled that it didn’t rain all day, write it down. If your roommate made you a cup of tea because they could tell you were feeling low, try and scribble more than: “I’m grateful for my friends”. When you start searching for small things to be appreciative for in a particularly hard day, it enables you to see each day as a unique, positive experience.

Find gratitude in your mistakes

Difficult situations are often when we need gratitude the most. For example, being grateful that you learned from a situation can help you to forgive yourself. On the other hand, being aware of the power of gratitude can help you to make a conscious effort to resolve a conflict with a friend or to seek out more happiness in your life.

Further reading: Six of the Best Books to Read This Fall

Guide to Grooming

Your Lazy Guide to Grooming

Whether you’re male or female, finding the time and energy to make sure that your hair is lying flat before you leave the house can be a challenge. Unfortunately, pausing Netflix to have a shower every day is necessary for maintaining hygiene, relationships and a sense of self. For all the lazy people out there, this doesn’t mean that you have to spend four hours fussing over your face in the morning. Here’s your lazy guide to grooming.

Girls guide to grooming

  1. Body—Brush your hair before getting in the shower. Use a sulfate-free shampoo on your scalp and a silicone-free conditioner on the ends of your hair. Wash your body after your hair to prevent breakouts. If you have dry skin, use a soap-free cleanser. For oily skin, use a water-based wash that helps unclog pores.
  2. Shave—Shaving should be the last step in the shower. Apply a shaving gel and shave with the grain. Invest in a razor that is designed for pubic hair and for longer lasting hair removal, try cream, an epilator or wax strips.
  3. Face—Makeup wipes are a lazy girl’s best friend but always double cleanse with a simple cleanser. You can skip the toner but invest in a good, light moisturiser (even if your skin is oily) and exfoliate one to two times a week.
  4. Trim—Making the effort to get your eyebrows waxed or threaded will save you time in the mornings. Never pluck above the eyebrow but brush the hairs upwards and trim with scissors.
  5. Hair—Frizz-free beach waves that take five minutes: put slightly damp hair into two braids and blow-dry from above, moving down the braid. Undo and apply a little hair oil for added shine and smoothness.
  6. Smell—Leaving your perfume in the steamy bathroom can affect its smell and applying it to dry skin will diminish its scent faster.

Guys guide to grooming

  1. Body—If you have dry skin, use a soap-free cleanser. For oily skin, look for a water-based wash that helps unclog pores. Use shampoo but do not wash your hair every day, as this will dry it out. Wash your beard with water to soften it before shaving.
  2. Shave—Shaving in the shower is a good idea as the heat will soften your beard and provide a closer shave. Use a pre-shave oil and apply shaving soap with a brush to raise the hairs. Always follow the grain.
  3. Trim—Whatever experiment you’re trying on your beard, commit to keeping it groomed. Remember that there should be a gap between your eyebrows and keep an eye on your nails too. If you’re into it, manscaping is also a thing now.
  4. Face—Choose a simple cleanser and wash your face in the morning and at night. Also invest in a scrub (to exfoliate the hangover off of your face once a week). Never skip the moisturiser if you want to see noticeable improvement to your entire face.
  5. Hair—If your hair is in your eyes, go to the barbers. Style your hair before applying a small amount of product. If you have short or thin hair, use light sprays or a paste for separation. For thicker, longer hair, styling creams and waxes will weigh the hair down and add shine.
  6. Smell—Go easy on the aftershave. A couple of dabs or sprays on the neck or wrists is a good amount.

Further reading: The Fade Hairstyle with Men’s Health Fashion Editor Dan Michel