Take the time to be thankful in November

Christine Heverly<sisungch@msu.edu>, Michigan State University Extension -

Taking the time to think about what you are thankful for can be a benefit to volunteer programs, volunteers and youth.

November is traditionally a month where people take some time to reflect on what they are thankful for. According to Merriam-Webster, thankful means “glad that something has happened or not happened, that something or someone exists, etc. or expressing thanks.” You may see people share one thing a day they are thankful for while others may do it in a more internal manner. Michigan State University Extension believes that taking the time to think about what you are thankful for is important for volunteer programs, volunteers and youth involved in the program.

First, a volunteer program needs to take the time to be thankful for their volunteers as it is important in recruiting new volunteers and retaining the volunteers already engaged in the program. Taking the time to recognize volunteers is vital for the success of a volunteer program. This doesn’t require a program to have a big recognition event, but instead take some time in November to let volunteers know why you are thankful for them. You could share this information in a monthly newsletter, in personalized thank-you notes or even on your organization’s social media platforms.

For volunteers, taking the time to reflect on what they are thankful for can allow them to refocus on why they first volunteered for the program. In addition, when volunteers think about what they are thankful for, it can really allow them to see what they are most passionate about. This can allow a volunteer to see if they want to volunteer in more areas.

Finally, for youth, having a sense of being thankful and showing gratitude is an important life skill. It is as simple as being appreciative of the good things in your life. Having youth take a few minutes to think about what they are thankful for can help them realize everything that is good in life.

Take some time the rest of November to think about what you are thankful for. This can be a great moment to reflect on what you have and is a real benefit to volunteer programs, volunteers and youth. 

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

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