J. Nelson – Writer

It’s not too bad, I promise

It’s a holiday week, which means we’re all running around like chickens with our heads cut off. Either we’re preparing our homes to host company for a Thanksgiving feast, or we’re getting all our ducks in a row so we can travel on Thursday to be someone’s company. (Or, a sad few of us will be going to work on Thanksgiving, because someone has to keep this country running.)

Whichever it is, we’re all pretty busy this week. So I’m going to keep today’s post simple, but I am going to assign you, dear readers, two short tasks.

Task 1: Practice gratitude

Being engaged with politics and current events can be frustrating and depressing. It’s all too easy to become disillusioned with life. So, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, your first task is to practice gratitude.

Every day for the remainder of this week, take 10 seconds to think of something for which you are grateful. You don’t have to write it down or share it with anyone. You don’t even have to speak it aloud. Just take a moment to pause and think of something you are thankful for.

When we’re surrounded by negativity — internal or external — it’s important to bring genuine positivity into our lives. (Not the toxic positivity of refusing to acknowledge any negativity.)

According to the Mayo Clinic, “Studies have shown that feeling thankful can improve sleep, mood and immunity. Gratitude can decrease depression, anxiety, difficulties with chronic pain and risk of disease. If a pill could do this, everyone would be taking it. Your brain is designed to problem-solve rather than appreciate. You often must override this design to reap the benefits of gratitude.”

To get us started, here’s mine for today: I’m grateful for my family, and how much we love and support each other. It’s been a rough few months for me, and my immediate family especially (and my best friend, who is basically my sister at this point) has really rallied around me and taken care of me. I don’t know what I’d do without them.

Task 2: Support a small business

Your second task is for after Thanksgiving: Support a small business on Small Business Saturday.

Small, locally owned businesses are the backbones of communities, and they make up a surprisingly large portion of our economy. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, small businesses employ almost half the country’s workforce and account for roughly 44% of the U.S.’s gross domestic product (GDP).

And when you shop local small business, your money stays local. According to the American Independent Business Alliance, “Your dollars recirculate through your local economy 2-4 times more than money spent at a non-local company. As your dollars move through your community, the money generates more local wealth, charitable contributions, and jobs.” This is called the Local Multiplier effect.

Morgantown goes all out for Small Business Saturday, with a whole big event downtown followed by the monthly Moonlight Market, which is always filled with small, regional vendors. Check your local paper or community groups on social media to see if your area will have any special Small Business Saturday events.

And if they don’t, make a point to visit a small business sometime this weekend: Get your morning coffee from a local café instead of a chain shop, or get lunch at a local restaurant after your errands.

Since it is Christmas shopping time, try to find Christmas gifts at local shops or other small businesses. As we get into December, there are sure to be lots of Christmas markets and artisan shows. Plus, there are always the brick-and-mortar stores in your community that are open year-round.

If money is tight this holiday season, consider checking out a local charity thrift shop. For example, Morgantown has several thrift stores that support local initiatives, like the local animal shelter and spay-and-neuter programs.

Small businesses also benefit immensely from social media engagement: The more likes and shares its posts get, the more likely the algorithm is to show its posts to relevant audiences. So if you can’t afford to spend any money, go to a small business’s social media and like or share its post. That kind of support is free to you but can pay dividends for the business.

If you prefer to online shop, Etsy is a great place to find small businesses and artisans from all over the world, and Amazon has a filter that allows you to view products from small businesses. Your local brick-and-mortar shops might also have an online ordering option, so check out their websites or social media pages.