When life is going well it is easy to be grateful. When we find ourselves in the midst of a life challenge or even disaster, gratitude takes a significant effort. It does not seem natural to turn to gratitude while we are caught in uncertainty, but that is exactly what we need to do to lessen our fear and improve our outlook.
In his book Gratitude Works, Robert Emmons says, “…not only will a grateful attitude help – it is essential. In fact, it is precisely under crisis conditions when we have the most to gain by a grateful perspective on life.”
Gratitude changes our perspective. No one is grateful for a disease pandemic, but when feelings of helplessness begin to fill our thoughts, deliberately practicing gratitude will bring more feelings of hope.
How do we practice gratitude when we don’t feel particularly grateful?
Start small. When many things are going wrong, look for one small blessing and embrace it. It may be something as small as sunshine on your face, a healthy meal, or a roof over your head. Try to notice the things that you don’t always notice. Looking for small blessings during a storm will help you to refocus on something more positive. Try listing them out on paper and then studying them. Putting the list in a prominent place to read daily will help keep you focused on things that you can control. One sentence that I posted on my refrigerator says, “Right now, I have everything that I need.”
Share hope with others in need. While you are feeling stressed and uncertain, you know others are feeling that way as well. Reaching out to someone in a similar or worse situation than yours will help you move your mind from thoughts of “poor me” to “how can I help”. Problem solving and serving others helps bring feelings of hope to the people you help, and to yourself. When others express their gratitude to you, it will remind you that there is a future together.
Take one small constructive action. Clean your closet, cook a meal, or make a craft that you have been wanting to make. Text or call your friends and family and tell them that you are thinking of them or praying for them. Keeping focused on the things that you can control will allow you to feel more positive and useful.
Practicing gratitude in a deliberate way is an exercise in changing your thoughts. It must be an active pursuit and will not be easy but is the best way to cope with adversity. So, start small, share hope and do something constructive every day to change your attitude, your mind, and your world.
Dr. Julie Cappel
“Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” – Melody Beattie
No comments:
Post a Comment