As great as it is to have a holiday from our busy schedules, this is a special day to give thanks for our lives and our loved ones.

But what is often forgotten is the second part of the word. Thanksgiving is also a great day to think about “giving”.

It's a day to recognize the wonderful gifts in our lives from friends, family, health or security.  It's a day where we can reflect on what we have, as opposed to what we lack.  

And in this moment of reflection and gratitude, it's a good time to think about those who have less.  

It's a time where you can think about all the different ways that you can give more. Giving doesn't have to mean writing a check to charity, as great as that is. It doesn't have to mean volunteering once a week at a food bank, or for an environmental organization.

Meaningful giving can take many forms.

You give a great gift when you teach your child a valuable lesson, because you also effectively share it with your grandchild, not yet born.

You give when you listen to a friend in need, and empathize with how they're feeling. You give when you make people smile.

You also give when you practice kindness towards those who you don't have to be kind to. There are literally dozens of ways to give and have a positive impact on other people’s lives.

And in the process of giving in these many different ways, you build a healthier community. A healthier family life. And effectively you demonstrate gratitude for the many gifts you have been given in your life. The very fact that you can read this article is one example of the many gifts you have to be grateful for—your education.

In our research for the book The Power of Giving: How Giving Back Enriches Us All, we discovered some surprising information.  In theory, we thought that giving benefits the giver, even if they aren’t expecting anything. That was our personal experience. But we were delighted to find research study after research study that shows overwhelming empirical evidence that giving to others significantly benefits the person who is the giver.

The research surrounding giving is overwhelmingly positive. Children who give as teenagers live longer and healthier lives. Teens who volunteer are much less likely to commit suicide.  People living with AIDS and MS improve their health by being volunteers.

In our house at Thanksgiving, we celebrate the holiday with about 20 friends and family.  One of the highlights is going around the table and asking people what they are grateful for.  It's a practice we've now incorporated in our family life on a daily basis. It's important for the children to find out what their parents value.   And it’s especially fun because we learn a lot from our 10 and 14 year old sons who share what they are grateful for.  We believe it is positive for them to remind themselves of the many gifts that they have. And that builds character.

So on this special day, let me thank you for the giving you already do. And on this Thanksgiving, let me ask you to consider adding one or two new ways you can give to others. This will help them, and paradoxically, it will also help you.