Thanksgiving is almost here! The leaves have turned from their usual green to a mesmerizing array of colors that capture the eye. Also, it’s time for the traditional dishes that accompany the Thanksgiving holiday like turkey and dressing. But with Thanksgiving just around the corner, what are you thankful for? You may be wondering if you’ve ever really taken the time to show those you care about how you really feel. Thanksgiving is THE perfect holiday that will give you the opportunity to express your feelings for your family and friends. If you don’t exactly know what to be thankful for this season, here’s a list of things to get you started and how you can celebrate them:

1. Be thankful for your friends. Friends are a huge part of your life. You tell them everything, even things you may not want to tell your parents. By sharing everything with your friends, it’s pretty clear that your friends are people you care about who care about you as well. Show your friends how much you appreciate their company and friendship by expressing your feelings on Thanksgiving. Send them a text message (We do this almost nonstop anyway). Invite them and their family members over to your house for Thanksgiving. Allow them to celebrate the festivities with you while they get to know even more about you and your family. Thanksgiving is a special time of year that is not just for eating, it’s also for sharing things with your friends as well.

2. Be thankful for your family. Family members are the ones who will stick by you when all your friends have deserted you. Family is very important because these are the people who loved you before you ever knew your friends. Telling your family members how much you are grateful for their presence in your life on Thanksgiving is not only a good idea, but it will make their Thanksgiving holiday that much more memorable. Thanksgiving is a holiday that brings families together that might not see each other that often. When everyone is together, basking in the sight of the loved ones they’ve missed for so long, it makes their hearts grow with fondness and cheer. This makes the holiday that much more special to people all over the country. This year, try to make your family’s Thanksgiving holiday a special one by doing something for them that they wouldn’t normally expect you to do like making a delicious bowl of mashed potatoes. They’ll appreciate what you’ve done, and so will you.

3. Be thankful for laughter. It has been said before that laughter is the best medicine. Try using the gift of laughter to heal someone who is down-on-their-luck. If you see someone you care about feeling a bit depressed, try your best to cheer them up. That is what people do for those they care about. They want to see them happy. No one wants to have a gloomy outlook on Thanksgiving, so give someone you know who is feeling down a pep talk that will make them laugh. Not only will the other person appreciate what you’ve done, but it might be something they’ll never forget you for. Also, while you’re feasting on turkey and slices of pumpkin pie, sharing a hilarious experience with friends and family is another way to make the Thanksgiving holiday more memorable.

4. Be thankful for the beauty of the environment. The world around you is filled with wonderful things that have inspired the minds of ancient greats like Plato, Aristotle, and Confucius. What these men saw in nature is that it is special and should be cherished. You should truly be thankful for the world in which we live and try to preserve it any way you can. Even though it may not be perfect, there are many things on this planet that are worth maintaining like animals, the trees, and water.

Even though you should use the Thanksgiving holiday to show your appreciation for all the things that you have, you should also take the time to show how grateful you are everyday of the year. By showing your appreciation for those you love, and for everything else in life, you will find yourself on a path of great success and happiness.