This Thanksgiving holiday, I’m sure everyone is waiting for the wellness coach to lecture about healthy eating.  Don’t worry, I am not going to warn you to avoid the pumpkin pie. (Good luck with that one.) But before we all dive into the turkey and debates, let’s take a moment to think about gratitude in action. After all, isn’t that what Thanksgiving is about?

I love the practice of gratitude. It’s like mindfulness with a purpose: You pause, reflect, and appreciate. But as a wellness coach, I know that reflection alone isn’t enough. The real magic happens when we turn those insights into action. And let’s be honest; action can feel hard when life is busy, stressful and full of way too much to do.

Being very practical and action-oriented, I did some digging into positive psychology research.  I was curious about how to spark more gratitude in everyday life. Interestingly, the answer isn’t just about counting your blessings—it’s about creating new opportunities for gratitude to bloom. Here’s the surprising part: it starts with doing one very small thing to make someone else happy.

Now, I’m not talking about taking on another task, signing up for another committee, or saying “yes” to something you don’t have time for. Who needs more homework or to-dos? Nope, I’m talking about tiny, simple moments:
• Acknowledge someone for something they’re good at.
• Make someone laugh (a terrible joke counts).
• Hold a door for someone.
• Smile at a stranger.

These little acts of kindness don’t just make someone else’s day—they also fuel your sense of connection and joy. Positive psychology research shows that when you make someone else happy, it triggers a feedback loop of social connection and immediate gratification. That small boost can be enough to bring you into the present moment, shift your perspective, and make gratitude feel real.

So this Thanksgiving, I’m grateful for the chance to be part of the JCC community—a place filled with opportunities to connect, share, and yes, score a few smiles. My goal today? To rack up as many smiles as I can, one small, happy moment at a time.

That’s something to be truly thankful for.

Carolyn Kontos, MS, ACC, offers Wellness & Nutrition Coaching at the JCC through her Eat Well Programs. For more information, contact Carolyn at [email protected]

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