Gratitude has been my saving grace these last few years, guys. It’s not a practice I consciously adopted, but when, say, you’re stuck in the anxiety spin or trying to figure out how to hop from one lily pad of peace to the next when you’re surrounded by muck, it helps immeasurably to focus on whatever small, linty bits of goodness you can find in your pockets.
Whether I was slogging my way through the latest delightful chemo side effect or grieving the loss of my mother or just having a stupidly bad day for no reason at all, I found that if I sat myself down and made a tiny list of things that were good or even just okay, it helped. It made a little bubble where I could catch my breath. Even if the only good thing I could think of was that the day was over.
There are real scientific studies that explain why practicing gratitude observance is good for your mental health. In my own rigorous research (sample size: 1), I’ve found that putting on the gratitude goggles for a few minutes a day has an ameliorative effect on my psyche. It helps to prevent festering infections of resentment and pissiness, and it aids in the healing of all manner of wounds.
So, for anyone interested in trying it out, I’ll be holding a weekly thank-a-along here in the ol’ blanket fort, complete with a printable gratitude card for you to fill out.
Here are some questions to get you in the grateful space:
- What puts a smile on your face whenever you see it?
- What treat brings you comfort without fail?
- What is your favorite escape, real or fictional?
Get printable full size image here.
Until next week,
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