Gratitude in Challenging Times
Anne Sayles, Boon Coach
It’s the Time of Year to be Thankful, Again
Every year around Thanksgiving, we remind ourselves to count our blessings, but why isn’t it a daily practice? What if a daily gratitude practice could boost our resilience?
Going through tough times doesn’t coincide with the holiday calendar. A job loss, relationship problems, or even chronic illness, can happen at any time. Being able to cope with these challenges is an invaluable life skill.
The good news is gratitude is a great way to insulate ourselves when these trying times hit. Think you need a new job or a lotto win to be grateful for? Small things often are the blocks that really build that resilience.
Gratitude researcher David DeSteno mentions this:
“ … it’s important to focus on the little things perhaps more than the big ones… Reflecting on the smaller and more frequent one … will work just as well. An easy way to make this strategy part of a routine is to keep a journal… The act of writing encourages a deeper, more vivid processing of memories, and can readily immerse us in the feelings brought forth.”
Build a New Path in the Brain
Just as negative thoughts create default pathways in the brain, gratitude can rewire these pathways, but you might have to get your mental machete out to clear a new path. When you rewire this gratitude circuit and strengthen it, you can elevate your physical and mental health. Studies show that it can boost happiness, improve sleep, and help you feel connected to other people. That sounds pretty good to me!
Dr. Rick Hanson in his book Hardwiring Happiness goes deeper:
“Any positive emotion is an opportunity to enjoy living and to feel satisfied here and now. Positive emotions also have many physical health benefits, including boosting your immune system, protecting your cardiovascular system, and increasing the odds of a long life.”
How to Do it Everyday
This all sounds great, right? So why not start a daily gratitude practice. Here are some ideas of how you can be more grateful on the daily:
1. Habit stack your gratitude. What does that mean? Pick a regular part of your morning, let’s use brushing your teeth, and think of three things you are grateful for. It could be as simple as having running water.
2. Share your gratitude with a friend. Coffee and gratitude sound delicious! Have a conversation about what you are grateful for, you can both share.
3. Tell someone you appreciate them. Is your pharmacist always helpful and friendly? I am sure it would make their day to hear it.
4. Acts of kindness. Show you are grateful for someone by helping them out in some way.
5. Write it down. Gratitude journals are available everywhere. Too much to commit to? Start a note or Google Keep on your phone, write down what made you grateful at the end of the day. Pick out one thing that made you happy, one thing someone else did for you, or one thing you did for someone else.
6. Keep gratitude on the brain. It’s easy for us to be grateful around the holidays, start a weekly exercise of gratitude from the options above, or even better brainstorm your own.
Keep it Up
The key to gratitude practice is to do it, not just read about it. How about a 30-day gratitude challenge? Build that inner strength, and you will be more resilient! If you are struggling to keep up a habit or need more accountability, connect with a Boon-Health coach to partner with.
Coaches can help you define goals and stay on track.
Happy Thanksgiving!
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