29: Thanksgiving-Not Just A Holiday But A Practice

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What if one honest sentence could change a day—or save a life? We dive into gratitude not as a platitude, but as a biological reset that lifts mood, calms the body, and strengthens community. Drawing on research from UC Davis and Harvard, we unpack how simple acts of thankfulness lower blood pressure, improve sleep, and reduce inflammation, while flooding the brain with dopamine and serotonin that reinforce joy and connection.

I share Kevin’s unforgettable lobby-board story: a rain-soaked apartment building, a quiet Post-it prompt, and a slow bloom of handwritten lines that turn neighbors into a network. From “my son called—he’s staying sober” to “I didn’t cry in the shower today,” these small truths become a social safety net. When a note appears—“I was going to end it today… Thank you.”—the whole building’s rhythm shifts. It’s a powerful reminder that gratitude is not fluff; it’s infrastructure for belonging.

From science to practice, we walk through five simple tools you can start today. Keep sticky notes on hand to leave kind words in the wild. Write a thank-you letter—even if you never send it—to train your mind toward empathy. Build a gratitude jar or board to collect daily wins and reach for them on hard days. Turn your Thanksgiving table into a circle of appreciation with personal notes and a single line of thanks from each guest. And try the reverse bucket list to celebrate what you’ve already braved, rebuilding self-trust in midlife and beyond. Along the way, we reframe midlife as an invitation to prioritize yourself, craft purpose, and savor small, delicious moments that add up to a life you recognize.

If this conversation lifted you, share it with a friend who could use a gentle nudge toward hope. Subscribe, leave a quick review on Apple Podcasts, and tell me one good thing that happened today—I’m listening.

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