Yesterday, my feeds were flooded with glowing posts of gratitude, heartwarming family photos, and saccharine “I’m thankful for…” notes. It was Thanksgiving, after all—but here’s the twist: I’m Swiss. Thanksgiving isn’t part of my culture. Watching this spectacle from the outside made me wonder: is this a genuine celebration of gratitude, or just a performative exercise?
Let’s face it—most Thanksgiving gratitude is superficial. Hypocritical, even. One day of public thanks doesn’t erase a year of neglecting the very relationships and values we claim to cherish. It’s easy to say “thank you” when the calendar tells you to. Harder when no one’s watching, when it’s inconvenient, or when life’s messy.
Gratitude isn’t a holiday—it’s a mindset. A daily practice of noticing the small joys, appreciating the people in your life, and staying present in the moment. The truth? If you need Thanksgiving to remind you to be thankful, you’re doing it wrong.
Here’s the challenge: make every day Thanksgiving—except one. Pick a day to skip gratitude, to forget the niceties and take a break. On every other day, live with intention. Thank the barista for your coffee. Text a friend just to say you care. Appreciate the ordinary wonders in your life.
So, while I respect the spirit of Thanksgiving, let’s keep it real: gratitude doesn’t live in hashtags or staged family photos. It lives in the mundane, the messy, the unfiltered true heartfelt moments.
What if we flipped the script? Would your life change if gratitude wasn’t confined to one day?