DAILY GRATITUDE
ON THE BLOG WRITTEN BY LAUREN HORLICK
With the start of the new year, many people set new intentions for their days, weeks, and months. One intention that I encourage everyone to set is to practice gratitude. Gratitude means being thankful and ready to show appreciation for and return to kindness. Gratitude has numerous benefits, including reducing anxiety and depressive symptoms, enhancing positive outlooks on self and surroundings, improving emotional resilience, and strengthening relationships.
Anxiety, anger, and depression are all accompanied by negative thought patterns. These negative thought patterns impact what/how we think about ourselves and the world around us. Anxiety and depression tend to lead to rumination, which pulls us out of the present moment and further adds to increased feelings of anxiety and depression (a vicious cycle!). By identifying daily gratitude, we disrupt negative thinking patterns and rumination, allowing you to identify positives about the here and now. There are multiple ways to practice gratitude. Here are two quick and accessible ways to help get started practicing gratitude:
1. Gratitude Journals- Gratitude Journals are the easiest way to incorporate gratitude into your daily routine. Start by listing 1-3 things (or more) you are grateful for daily. This can be done through a journal or mobile app and serves as a visual reminder of gratitude you can reflect on.
2. Express Thankfulness- Create a habit of thanking others for whom you are grateful. Find ways to express thankfulness and why you appreciate them. If this feels too vulnerable, you can write down thank you letters and not send them. Practicing expressing thankfulness helps us scan the past for good and effortlessly recognize the good in the present moment.
There is a reason gratitude is referred to as a practice: to experience its positive benefits, you must practice. As with most things, the more you practice, the better you will get. If gratitude is new to you or you recently returned to it, allow yourself time to reflect each day. Take a break, even when life feels overwhelming. Take 5 minutes to breathe and notice what you were grateful for today. Incorporating gratitude at the start or end of your day is a small and impactful step in safeguarding your mental health.
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