It’s an unfortunate and very real fact that mental health issues are on the rise. As of 2021, around 1-in-7 people (15%) have one or more mental or substance use disorders with anxiety and depression among the most common. With so much negativity being spread around the world, it’s easy to let these things affect our mood.
Combined with the stresses of everyday life, if we’re not careful, these negative emotions and thoughts can take a turn for the worse into more serious mental health issues. There are different things we can do that can help us steer our thoughts away from negativity and instead focus on the good in life. This intentional shift and awareness of our thoughts can help us to try and live a happier and more positive life.
Please note that this blog encourages you with ways that may help you cultivate more gratitude and hopefully a more positive mindset. It’s okay to feel sad, it’s okay to have down moments and it’s okay if you have mental health issues. If you do, or even feel like you may have any mental health disorders, please reach out to someone you trust or a mental health professional.
The first step to having more gratitude in our lives is understanding exactly what it means. When we think of gratitude, it may mean different things to us in different circumstances. It could be thought of as a mood, behaviour, emotion, virtue, skill etc. However, Robert Emmons and Michael McCullough have defined it in a process that makes it easier for us to break down. The first step is “recognizing that one has obtained a positive outcome” and the second step is “recognizing that there is an external source for this positive outcome.”. When we experience gratitude, it encourages us to have a look at our life and appreciate the good.
While research about gratitude and its links to physical and mental health is a relatively new topic, there have been several studies in more recent years that show how being grateful for the things in life helps us be happier and more satisfied with our lives. Being grateful can help us:
Reduce stress:
Regularly expressing gratitude has shown to improve overall moods, reducing rates of stress and depression
Feel more optimistic:
Being grateful for things in our life, whether big or small can help us look at the bright side of every situation and improving our outlook on life
Improve physical health:
There have been studies that show that people who regularly express gratitude are more likely to engage in physical activities and healthier eating habits. These habits can also lead to better sleep and increased energy.
Make us more empathetic and improve relationships:
Being grateful also leads to positive changes that can affect us and extend to the people around us. A study found that participants who expressed gratitude and kindness towards the people in their lives experienced stronger relationship satisfaction compared to those who did an activity that was focused on themselves instead.
Now you know a bit about how gratitude can be beneficial for you, you may be thinking, how can I put into practice being grateful? Below are some interventions that you can incorporate into your life to cultivate gratitude.
Gratitude Journaling:
Write down 3 to 5 things that you’re grateful for in your life. You can do this daily, weekly or at a frequency that suits you the best. You can take your journaling one step further by identifying the source of the good things / things you’re grateful for.
Gratitude Letters or Visits:
Write a letter to someone you’re grateful for or someone who did something for you that you appreciate. Another alternative is to spend time with that person. Let them know you’re grateful for them, treat them to something nice and make them feel special. You are sure to feel good about the experience too.
New Experiences:
Next time you’re thinking of treating yourself to a retail purchase, you may want to consider spending that money on a new experience instead. Experiences have been shown to lead to more feelings of gratitude. These experiences will be a lasting memory, more so than how something material can make you feel for a fleeting moment.
Thinking Reset:
It’s part of human nature for negative thoughts to come into our mind everyday. Next time an unwanted thought is starting to bubble up, put a stop to it. Think about something positive in that situation instead or think about something entirely different that you are thankful or grateful for.
Gratitude Buddy:
Find someone you trust that you can share with on a regular basis. Set times to share with each other your reflections of the day, week or month and all the good things that have happened and you are grateful for.
Positive Affirmations:
Set some time out for yourself where you can go through positive affirmations that build you up and encourage you. Write down a list for the day / week and read them out loud a couple of times. These affirmations will help you get into a more optimistic mindset. If you find you’re thinking thoughts that are bringing you down, remember these affirmations and repeat them to yourself.
Disclaimer: I’m not a mental health professional nor do I have any qualifications regarding this topic. This blog was written based on research I did on the internet surrounding the matter. Read the links below to find out more about gratitude and its relation to our health and well-being.
Sources:
https://ggsc.berkeley.edu/images/uploads/GGSC-JTF_White_Paper-Gratitude-FINAL.pdf?_ga=2.82610261.2142947331.1637096170-1362583773.1634590861
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