Attitude of Gratitude

Boy these are crazy times nowadays. I know it can be so hard to find grounding when so much is out of your control. We are bombarded by so much negative and bad news. Anxiety is at an all-time high and everyone I know seems to be having trouble sleeping. One thing I tell my clients is to look for the good. We find what we seek – so seek gratitude. Gratitude doesn’t mean you can’t acknowledge things that you are struggling with. It simply means you are acknowledging that you have a lot of good going on as well. It can be very difficult to find things to appreciate nowadays, but I promise you it is not impossible. One of the easiest ways to do this is by using a gratitude journal! There’s even real science behind taking on an attitude of gratitude. In one study, one group of patients wrote gratitude letters and another group did not. The gratitude letter writing group showed more activity in their prefrontal cortex on an MRI and they healed at a faster pace than the group that did not.

So how do you do a gratitude journal?

The easiest way is to get started is to write one thing (or five things) you are grateful for everyday. It can be general or specific. Set aside a specific time each day to sit and be conscious about the good things you have in your life. I suggest doing this first thing when you wake up. It sets the tone for your day and gives you something to focus on when stress and worry try to take over. Doing this daily will train your brain to look for the things you are grateful for as your day goes on.
I wish everyone the best during these trying times. I am so extremely grateful for all of you!