This school year has felt heavier than most. More chaotic. More unpredictable. More emotionally draining. From the conversations I’ve had with others, I know I’m not the only one feeling the weight.
With it being Thanksgiving month, gratitude is everywhere — and while it’s a beautiful theme, it’s really a practice worth doing every day. I started an intentional gratitude practice in 2014, and over time, it became a way of being. I notice the small things - hot water, green lights when I’m running late, coffee - and the larger things - health, my family, meaningful work. Even with a solid practice, this month has felt hard. Gratitude helps, but it doesn’t remove the heaviness. We can be deeply grateful and still face suffering.
As we move deeper into December, I’m realizing I need more to feel grounded, more to feel steady, more to continue my journey - and for me, that “more” is my values. I’m turning toward them again. Living in my values reminds me what to be thankful for and why those things matter. It brings me back to my purpose, my why.
This is the heart of this Thankful Thursday.
December can feel full. It pulls us in every direction - deadlines, holidays, family events, student escalations, emotional fatigue, and the pressure to do everything. Before we step into it too far, take a moment to notice what is most important to you for just this month. Is it fostering meaningful connections? Pursuing passions? Prioritizing well-being? A short values reset can feel like a cozy hug - a return to yourself.
Here’s a shortened values exercise to help you make this December the best it can be. Take a few minutes to lighten the heaviness and invite in the joy and peace this season can offer.
Choose what matters right now — not forever, not ideally. Think about what you want to honor during December. Examples: calm, presence, connection, health, joy, rest, simplicity, gratitude. Write each value on its own sticky note.
For each value, ask yourself:
Just jot a few bullet points on the sticky note.
Pick one small, realistic habit you can practice this month. Tiny is the point.
Examples:
Trust
Acceptance
Joy
Place them somewhere you’ll see daily - your desk, your bathroom mirror, near your keys.
Say the words each day as a quick reminder.
This isn’t about becoming a new person. It’s about showing up as the version of yourself you want to be this month, in small and steady ways.
Take a deep exhale. Release the heaviness. Move through December grounded, clear, and steady.
I am thankful for YOU.
Thank you for reading my article. ❤️