Gratefulness. In our current climate, with a pandemic, racial upheaval, political upheaval, many relationships being strained, increased unemployment, and education like we’ve never seen it before – it can be hard to find things to be grateful about. But did you know that gratefulness has been proven to increase all those happy, feel-good chemicals in your brain, increase satisfaction with life, and decrease anxiety and depression? And on top of that, it physically rewires your brain so that you are even more grateful!

 

So, how do we find things to be grateful about? Don’t get me wrong – I know many people today are having a very difficult time. I am not discounting that at all. But by changing your outlook into one of gratitude, it can make things a little more bearable. If you need to, start small! Do you have a roof over your head? Be grateful! Do you have food in your house? Be grateful! Do you have even one person in your life that you feel you can be yourself with? Be grateful! I could go on and on – look in all areas of your life for things to be grateful for.

 

Here’s the tricky part – don’t follow it up with, “Yeah, but…” Yeah, but I don’t know what tomorrow brings, yeah but I had this happen or that happen. The trick here for this to work is to be grateful for what you DO have. I dare you to try it! You’ll be grateful you did!

Steffani Wooley, MA, LPC-I

Jon