Cultivating Gratitude
I’ve been reflecting on the past four weeks and sitting with just how much change has happened. As concerns about COVID-19 have increased, we as individuals and communities have shifted everything about our routines. Our lives have shifted online, and we are coping with a new normal. I’ve certainly had periods of anxiety and overwhelming emotions, so if you have too, please know that’s okay.
Our brain is designed with some really amazing tools to help us survive, but one of those tools is to focus on the negative – and to go back to those thoughts again and again. Because of this, we have to actively work to shift our focus to more helpful thoughts, which results in decreasing anxiety and managing our stress more effectively.
One place you can shift your thoughts is to Gratitude. Focusing on gratitude helps us to give thanks, to notice our strengths, and to help feel connected to the world around us. It can have a very positive effect on our health and well-being. So, I want to encourage you to consider practicing a Gratitude Routine where a few times a day you pause, take a breath and notice what you can be grateful for. See if you can do this often, as often as you may be washing your hands.
Things to be grateful for:
1. Be grateful for the things the body can do right now: Slow down and send your body some love for exactly where it’s at. Maybe you can sit and say to the body “I am sending gratitude to my immune system”, “I am thankful for the strength of my muscles”, “I am grateful for a body that is supporting me through this.”
2. Be grateful for the mind: Your brain is doing the best it can, so send it some compassion. It may be helpful to state “Thank you for responding to my fear, for reminding me to slow down, for giving me creativity and patience.”
3. Be grateful for your people, and for your community: Take time to notice the good things – people helping, people supporting people, and extend gratitude for this. Help these grateful feelings grow by texting, video calling, writing a letter or reaching out to the people you’re appreciative of. Let them know you value having them in your life.
4. Practice being humble: Think of what you may take for granted, and extend thanks to those things.
5. Feel inspired: Think of one person in your life who you appreciate or feel grateful for, who provides you with inspiration to keep going.
It’s okay to be struggling right now as we all find our new normal. Just remember, you are never alone. And if you find you need some extra support, some additional tools to put in your wellness toolbox, or if you just need some help getting back to giving yourself loving kindness, I’m here to help. You’ve got this!