Welcome back to our blog! We are going to spend the next 2 months delving into various topics to address the holidays and the stress that comes along with them. We’re going to look at things like stress relievers, building resiliency, and self-care practices. Today, we want to take you on a deep dive into gratitude. We hope you’ll this post helpful in helping you cultivate your practice of gratitude.
What Is Gratitude And Why Does It Matter?
We hear the term gratitude all around us day in and day out, yet not often do we hear a good, functional definition of it. Gratitude is a simple concept meaning to be ready to express thankfulness or appreciation for a form of kindness. This kindness can take many forms such as gifts, words, and behaviors just to name a few. Oftentimes, we underestimate the power of gratitude and how it can benefit our lives.
There has been a large amount of research done into gratitude and how it helps us. From this we know there are so many aspects of our lives that are transformed when we actively practice gratitude. You may experience a better mood, increased emotional resilience, improved sleep, some chronic pain relief, decreased anxiety, decreased depression, decreased stress, higher quality relationships, and healthier eating. We know people who incorporate gratitude practices on a regular basis report a higher level of overall well being than those who do not practice gratitude regularly.
Gratitude Practices
Now that we know the significant benefits of gratitude practice, we need to explore the many ways you can practice gratitude. All of us humans do our best when we have structure in our lives. You will be much more successful at starting a regular gratitude practice if you find a regular time in your day to take a few minutes to engage in one of the practices we’ll explore. Take a look at your morning or evening routine and see if there is a spot you can give yourself a few minutes to express gratitude for any kindness you experienced. Let’s take a look at some gratitude practices:
Gratitude Journaling – Take a few moments to write down a few things you’d like to express thankfulness for and be sure to include why these things mattered to you today. Many of us tend to focus on the big things first, such as our homes, our health, etc. Those are wonderful to express gratitude for, but also try to focus on the small things as well. For example, the person who held the door for you today, or the cashier who gave you a compliment, etc. Try it out for a few days and see what you think.
Mindfulness – Mindfulness exercise is wonderful as you can focus on so many different things each day, so maybe take a day each week to utilize your mindfulness time to focus on gratitude. Take 5 minutes to be present with yourself as you reflect on areas of gratitude and how you feel as you remember each thing. Give it a try and see if it fits your lifestyle.
Share Your Gratitude – Find a gratitude partner, or choose a different person each time to share a nugget of gratitude. You can choose to tell that person something about themselves your grateful for, or you can just share anything about your life you feel grateful for. This connection will help deepen that relationship. Reach out to someone today and see how you feel afterward.
How Gratitude Will Help Through The Holidays
The holidays are quickly approaching and we know mental health tends to suffer a little more this time of year due to various stressors. We know family get-togethers can be hard, as can managing our expectations for the holidays. Whether you’re worried about not being able to see family this year, or cooking the perfect dinner, or just hoping everyone gets along, gratitude can help you thrive through the season. Starting a regular gratitude practice now, will help you feel that improved mood and overall improved well being before the holidays are over. Reflecting on the gifts we do have rather than focusing on the worries that may or may not happen will also help us navigate with optimism. Stay tuned with our social media pages as we’ll give out a gratitude prompt each week to help you think more frequently about gratitude.
Common Barriers
As with anything we try to start, there are some common barriers to gratitude practice that we need to be mindful of. As you work to become more mindful, be on the lookout for these barriers and be ready to spend some energy overcoming them. Remember, it is completely normal to struggle with implementing a new habit and coming across challenges or barriers, is totally normal. Let’s take a look at what you may come across:
Envy – Envy is a normal human emotion, but that doesn’t mean we want it to stick around and change the way we look at our lives. If you find yourself in a state of envy, be mindful of it and acknowledge it for what it is. Don’t shame yourself for experiencing it, as it is a normal emotion. Insead, acknowledge it and combat it with a statement of gratitude.
Comparison – This one goes right along with envy and can be quite destructive to our mental health. We all engage in comparisons with one another, but rarely is this practice helpful. It can create feelings of envy, jealousy, inadequacy, and depression. Social media has served to drive up our rate of comparisons and the number of impossible standards we compare ourselves to. It’s helpful to limit our time on social media, and call yourself out on your comparisons. If you notice it, acknowledge it, and intentionally refocus on what you have control over in your life.
Lack of Time/Energy/Attention – Everyone has let the words “I just don’t have time” or “I just don’t have the energy” slip out of their mouths when considering a new habit or routine. We all have numerous responsibilities and commitments we have to attend to, but we have to establish ourselves as priorities. If you don’t take care of yourself, who is going to do it for you? No one. It is no one else’s job to take care of us, so we have to prioritize ourselves and make our self-care routines an appointment we aren’t willing to cancel. Take the extra 3-5 minutes to engage in one of the practices we mentioned above and give yourself what you’re needing.
Put It All Together
We know gratitude is a key component of living a happier, more fulfilling life. It helps us build deep relationships with ourselves and others, and builds up our emotional resiliency to better handle what life throws at us. Take a look at your schedule and carve out 3-5 minutes a day to engage in some sort of practice of gratitude. Break it down if you need to and start out by sending out a quick gratitude email or text to someone in your tribe. The barriers will present themselves as we all lead busy lives, but be mindful of them and combat them by making yourself a priority. Be on the lookout on our social media pages for some inspiration for your gratitude journal over the next several weeks. If you need additional support implementing gratitude practice, or overcoming barriers, all of us here at Uinta Counseling are available to help!
We hope you enjoyed this post and found it helpful. Stay tuned for more posts to help you thrive through the holiday season!