Like each year, time flies by! November is here, with only about 8 weeks left until Christmas, and what do we do until then? Unfortunately, I feel most people forget or often times pass up Thanksgiving without much reflection. Without getting into the fine details, Thanksgiving is truly a holiday that brings forth great meaning and here is why…

Thanksgiving reflects altruism, meaning you set aside your needs in order to help others, but is also a time in which settlers gave thanks and praise for a successful harvest of that season. As most of us are familiar, the Indians and Pilgrims came together with their harvest and had a great feast. Some may be familiar with the history related to Sarah Josepha Hale’s efforts to make Thanksgiving a national holiday. At the time, she felt it would help unite a war torn country. After a few years of presidents proclaiming Thanksgiving, it wasn’t until 1941 that Thanksgiving became an official holiday. So how does this relate to health?

Simple! Thanksgiving is when family and friends get together and join in a feast or other traditions that may relate to their culture. Sometimes people from different cultures come together as well. It is the socialization that improves your wellbeing. Not everyone is outgoing, but those of you who are, can have a great impact on someone’s health by taking a few moments to talk to someone or offer a helping hand. There are people that partner up together to go walk or into town.  With all the good food and cold weather, it is easy to take a back seat and hibernate for the winter; however, having a good partner can help change that!

Partnerships can work in many ways! I have seen neighbors help residents who can’t see well enough to read! Neighbors knock on doors for friendly reminders to go to exercise or other social activities. But what about those who choose to avoid social contact? Due to my hearing loss, I used to be introverted; at times I still struggle to be social, especially in large groups. I recognize this and I challenge myself to overcome this. I also challenge you to get out, talk to someone, make a new friend and enjoy your holiday season!

Kaleb Roudabush, NSCA-CPT

Wellness Coordinator

1. Thanksgiving history. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.plimoth.org/learn/multimedia-reference-library/read-articles-and-writings/thanksgiving-history