In recent years and months, it is no surprise that mental health professionals are feeling lost on how to help their patients through these uncharted times. Patients are searching for low-cost, quick methods to improve their mental health and reach their goals. This is where a gratitude practice comes into play. Gratitude is acknowledging “I have enough, I do enough, I am enough.” It is a powerful practice that can greatly enhance our lives and overall well-being. When we cultivate an appreciation for the things we have, the people in our lives, the experiences we encounter, and all that we do or have done, we open ourselves up to a more fulfilling existence.
Like anything gratitude takes practice. It takes actively shifting our mindset to focus on what is going well in our life, and all the ways we are abundant. You may be asking “What do I have to be grateful for?” You may be currently struggling with hardships and self-doubt. You may be so unhappy with your current situation, so it is hard to identify those things to be grateful for. This is natural, as our brains are programmed to identify the areas we are unsafe, or the areas in our life that could be going better. This is why it takes practice.
Why Do It?
Research has shown that regularly practicing gratitude can have numerous health benefits. It can improve our mental health, reduce stress and anxiety, enhance our relationships, and even boost our physical health. This is due to the mental strength it takes to look at our glass as half full, vs. half empty. Gratitude is a simple yet transformative tool that can genuinely bring more peace into our lives. Allowing us to endure hardships, and keep a positive outlook when life inevitably throws obstacles our way. Gratitude reverses our thinking from what we currently lack to what we are grateful to have and can actually bring us closer to those things. Our brain will actively seek them out. Whether it's the feeling, the person, or the activity that fills us with gratitude, we naturally crave more of it. By expressing gratitude, we ignite a powerful shift in our mindset, focusing on the endless possibilities of "What is the best thing that can happen." This shift, whether driven by the harmonious energies of the universe or the profound workings of psychology, attracts an abundance of positive outcomes to manifest in our lives.
Where to start?
Take some time to center yourself, get out a journal, and start to write down the things that bring you joy throughout the day. This could be as small as your morning coffee. Arguably, the smaller the better! Write down the people in your life who support you mentally, physically, and spiritually. Write all the ways you have grown, and all you have accomplished in the last few years. Be sure to include the opportunities that are available to you. This may be hard to identify if you are feeling hopeless, but if you think hard about it, there may be areas of opportunity you have been dismissing. You may have people to support you, free time at your fingertips or access to knowledge you didn’t think was available to you. With the age of the internet, we all have that! Identifying these things and physically writing them down, will allow us to shift our focus from what is lacking to what is abundant in our lives. It helps us to recognize the small blessings and moments of joy that often go unnoticed.
When and How Often?
In order to cultivate gratitude, it is important to make it a daily practice. This can be done through simple actions such as keeping a gratitude journal, expressing appreciation to others, or taking a moment each day to reflect on what we are grateful for. By making gratitude a habit, we train our minds to focus on the positive aspects of life and develop a greater sense of gratitude overall. When we focus our time on the positive aspects of life and the things that are going well, it diverts our attention and energy from negative or toxic thinking. This shift in focus can help us break free from spiraling into dark thoughts that are detrimental to our mental health and do nothing to help our situation. By acknowledging and expressing gratitude, we develop a new mindset, that allows us to see the possibilities and the abundance we have access to. Leading to a more fulfilling life.
What you can Expect!
These results are not immediate. It takes time to create new habits, thought patterns, and ways of looking at the world. Not too many years ago, I would get trapped in these dark spirals of thought that I mentioned. I would find myself crying; feeling overwhelmed, hopeless, and afraid of what was to come of me and my life. I began to practice this shift in mindset. Whenever these negative thoughts started to spiral, I would actively interrupt them and remind myself of all the things I was grateful for. As time went on, I began doing this preemptively, before the spirals even started, and gradually, they became less frequent until they eventually stopped completely. Of course, as adults, we still experience intrusive thoughts, moments of stress, and self-doubt, but they no longer dictate my day or undermine my confidence. I now recognize when feelings of self-doubt arise and immediately counter them with gratitude and appreciation for what I have, who I have, and what I have accomplished. After years of allowing these negative thoughts and beliefs to control my life and emotions, practicing gratitude has empowered me to regain control over my own life.
If you found value in this article, I invite you to join my email list and receive a free 60-day gratitude journal. Also, visit my website to explore a collection of inspirational clothing and decor that integrates gratitude, and positive affirmations into your day-to-day life. You can also find more of me on my TikTok account, where I share content related to gratitude, personal growth, empowerment, and breaking free of self-sabotage and limiting beliefs. Let's embrace the power of gratitude and create a more fulfilling life together.
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