Photo credit: Douglas Bolt
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving in the United States, and at OneNature, we have so much to be grateful for this holiday season.
We know (and research backs it up!) that reflecting on gratitude increases our well-being. In fact, a regular gratitude practice is one of the most important ways to increase happiness. This Thanksgiving, we are taking the opportunity to reflect on how grateful we are to the many individuals and groups that have helped create OneNature in our first full year.
Of course, we also acknowledge and understand that Thanksgiving is a day of grieving and remembrance for many Indigenous and Native communities in the United States. We invite you to learn more about the complex history of Thanksgiving and the history of the land where you live. This holiday season, one way to support Native and Indigenous communities is by ‘Shopping Native’ and supporting Native and Indigenous artists and creators.
In the past year, we have been welcomed into wonderful, like-minded coalitions and got to join our voice with theirs in creating a well-being economy that values people, animals, and nature. The Green Economy Coalition, Well-being Economy Alliance, and the Leaders Pledge for Nature are just a few examples of these groups. We’ve been able to reach new audiences on International Day of Happiness, at the Jackson Wild Summit, The Ashville Wisdom Exchange, and through our social media channels. We launched new partnerships with conservation organizations and academic researchers to demonstrate how interconnected people, nature, and animals are. We have been fortunate enough to receive volunteer legal and accounting support to ensure that we demonstrate non-profit management excellence and received GuideStar platinum certification! We have been able to connect with marketing, communications, strategy, and fundraising experts who understand and love the work we do and have helped us develop a solid foundation in all of those areas. We have also had wonderful research and communications interns who have made this work possible.
We’d also like to give special thanks to our Advisory Council members and our Board members for supporting our work. They are incredibly generous.
And we would like to thank you. As the African proverb says,
“If you want to go fast, go alone; but if you want to go far, go together”
We have gone far with so much support and collaboration. We thank you all for your faith in us and your belief in well-being for all beings.
We have exciting things planned for next year! We will launch our first field projects, engage in new academic research and reports, and share recommendations for individuals, partners, and decision-makers to increase well-being for all beings. We are grateful you are with us on the journey.