UPDATE: The winner is…Debra Guyette!
*~*~*

Typically, November sparks the season of gratitude and being thankful. Social media is blasted with daily posts of gratitude and giving. While there is nothing wrong with doing this, often, this is presented the same, and this can become disingenuous. It also may become a struggle for persons experiencing difficult times. It’s no secret that this type of year can be hard for many people for many reasons. Therefore, this post will attempt to give some alternative ways of expressing and demonstrating thanks.

1. This one is simple; although, it may not seem apparent. Say a person is thankful for his/her family. Yes, by all means, express that. However, the person shouldn’t only post it only social media. He/she should tell his/her family how thankful he/she is for them. Do something special for them. Additionally, tell someone else how wonderful their family is (e.g., you have great kids, your wife is a phenomenal cook, your father-in-law is exceptional at his job, etc.) Extend what you’re grateful for to others. Not only will it make them feel good, it will remind them to be grateful as well.
2. When I was in high school, many of the clubs/organizations had community service goals. Actually, it was a requirement by the school, but that’s beside the point. While this was an excellent component to have embedded in organization bylaws, it was flawed. See, many of the community service events served the same persons/program. For example, one of the organizations I was involved in had adopted a meal program. Each day, students would take a meal to a man who lived close to the school. I cannot remember if the man had been selected because he was elderly, had a disability, or both. What I do remember is that he was receiving meals daily from multiple organizations. Now, it could be argued that he could save the meals for later. But honestly, does one person need nine boxed meals per day? I’m not saying he shouldn’t have been receiving meals. My point is that the love could have been spread to more people. I’m confident in saying there were plenty of other people in need who received nothing from any organizations.
3. Many years ago, a friend applied for WIC. The WIC office informed her that before she could get approved for services, she would need to go to the public health department to verify her pregnancy and be approved for Medicaid. The health department nurse told her she could not be approved for Medicaid until she was approved for a program (she couldn’t remember the name of the program) that would pay for childcare. From there, she was sent to another place to apply for something else. It was a musical slot machine of services. What my friend realized was that if she had been approved for one service, she would have been approved for multiple services. However, since she was denied by one, she was denied for all. The irony was, she hadn’t wanted all the services. All that she had wanted was help paying for baby formula. She wasn’t asking for insurance or childcare or any of the other stuff. And she wasn’t asking for any other items from the WIC program other than formula so that she wouldn’t have to struggle to feed her child. A pack of diapers would have been a bonus but not necessary.

For many people, being thankful includes sharing their good fortune with others. Why not attempt to make that sharing reach as many as possible? Instead of focusing so much on a few, why not adjust to include more people?

4. Considering small things. When in a rut or a dark place, sometimes it is hard to see the light. For example, a person who has recently lost his/her home may find it challenging to see the world as a positive place. Should they be thankful for being unhoused and experiencing such a loss? Should they be happy that someone has profited off of their misery? Here’s the thing. When something negative has occurred in one’s life and the negative cannot be undone, it is futile to focus on it. The results will remain the same. So, the person may need to cling to the things that are preventing the situation from being worse. For example, the person may be thankful to have friends who are allowing him/her to reside in their home until he/she finds another location. Or he/she may be thankful that they are in a safe shelter. Or he/she may see this as an opportunity to move and start fresh in another city.
5. Non-comparison. Keeping up with the Joneses is a thing even for people who think it isn’t. For example, looking at photos on Instagram may cause a person to feel less thrilled about his/her life. First, many of those photographs are photoshopped and/or fake. For the ones that aren’t, many are misleading. That great makeup look one is admiring may have been created by a professional makeup artist using gifted products and professional lighting and prompts. Envious because you can’t afford a month’s vacation in the Mediterranean? That person on IG may not have been able to afford it either and is now $10,000 in debt and fired from his/her job. Everything is not always what it seems. In this scenario, a weekend staycation would be far better than a month’s vacation.

***CONTEST & GIVEAWAY***

November 10 celebrates the anniversary of the publication of Defending the Net. I want to commemorate this day by celebrating it with readers of romance. Would you like a FREE copy of Defending the Net, the second book in my Locker Room Love hockey romance series? It’s simple. Leave a comment telling me what you like about sports romance or your favorite sports in general. It’s that easy. A winner will be selected at random. Please be sure to check spam mail in case the notification email is routed there by the server. (NOTE: For an additional entry, you can also comment on the post on my Instagram page (genevivechambleeauthor).

So, that’s a wrap on today’s topic. Now, it’s your turn to sound off. What did you think? What is your take on the subject? Do you agree or disagree? Did you find this information helpful or informative? Did you learn anything new, or did it change your opinion? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section. Also, let me know if you would like me to cover more of these types of topics or dive deeper into this one. If you like this post, please click the like button and share it. Your feedback allows me to know the content that you want to read. If you’re not following me on Creole Bayou blog, what are you waiting for? There’s always room at the bayou.

Get ready. It’s time to hit the ice again. Future Goals has arrived and is available.

When a college hockey player needs the help of an attractive older attorney, he gets more than he bargained for when trying to sort out the troubles in his career. Falling in love was never part of either man’s plan, especially as Corrigan’s and Sacha’s lives should never have collided. Now they’re left questioning if they’re standing in the way of the other’s future goals, or if there’s room for redirection.

Order your copy at:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3RjPYb9

Other booksellers: https://bit.ly/3CI8d5W

Did you missed the first four books in my hockey romance series? No frets.

Out of the Penalty Box (book #1), where it is one minute in the box or a lifetime out, is available at https://amzn.to/2Bhnngw. It also can be ordered on iTunes, Nook, or Kobo. For more links on where to purchase or to read the blurb, please visit https://bit.ly/2i9SqpH.

Defending the Net (book #2) can be ordered at https://amzn.to/2N7fj8q or www.books2read.com/defending. Crossing the line could cost the game.

Ice Gladiators (book #3) is the third book in my Locker Room Love series. When the gloves come off, the games begin. Available at https://amzn.to/2TGFsyD or www.books2read.com/icegladiators.

Penalty Kill (book #4) retakes the ice. Get a copy at https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p or https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p and let the pucker begin.

For more of my stories, shenanigans, giveaways, and more, check out my blog, Creole Bayou, www.genevivechambleeconnect.wordpress.com. New posts are made on Wednesdays, and everything is raw and unscathed. Climb on in a pirogue and join me on the bayou.

If you have any questions or suggestions about this post or any others, feel free to comment below or X (formerly tweet) me at @dolynesaidso. You also can follow me on Instagram at genevivechambleeauthor or search for me on Goodreads, Amazon Authors, BookBub, Bluesky, Threads, or TikTok.

NEWSLETTER! Want to get the latest information and updates about my writing projects, giveaways, contests, and reveals first? Click https://genevivechambleeconnect.wordpress.com/newsletter/ and sign up today.

Until next time, happy reading and much romance. Laissez le bon temps rouler.

About the Author

Genevive Chamblee resides in the Bayou country where sweet tea and SEC football reign supreme. She is known for being witty (or so she thinks), getting lost anywhere beyond her front yard (the back is pushing it as she’s very geographically challenged), falling in love with shelter animals (and she adopts them), asking off-the-beaten-path questions that make one go “hmm,” and preparing home-cooked Creole meals that are as spicy as her writing. Genevive specializes in spinning steamy, romantic tales with humorous flair, diverse characters, and quirky views of love and human behavior. She also is not afraid to delve into darker romances as well.