An Attitude of Gratitude

Most people aspire to improve their mental health by including activities that promote serenity. However, to have an attitude of gratitude is often underrated as a means to make us feel grounded and connected, acting as a powerful antidote to anxiety and depression.

How do we cultivate a life of gratitude when anxiety mounts up? As life’s pressures weigh down it becomes increasingly difficult to see the glass as half full instead of half empty. The following guidelines may be handy to remember when working towards improved gratitude in your life.

• Start by being grateful for the small things. Keep it simple. By appreciating the taste of a well-prepared meal, smelling the sweet aroma of a flower or even feeling the sun on your skin goes far to lift the blanket of depression and negativity.

• Do something for someone else. In Narcotics Anonymous they say, “We keep what we have by giving it away”. There is something powerful that happens when we reach out to others to provide support. We connect and feel part of something bigger that just ourselves. It takes us way from our own unrest and brightens our perception on reality.

• Look for the good things and say it aloud. Depression and anxiety can become incapacitating. It numbs our senses and darkens our mood. Make a conscious decision, every day, to find something good and speak it. What we say eventually changes our thoughts which in turn changes how we act. Be consistent in your actions until it becomes a habit.

• Avoid “prophets of doom”. Whether we like it or not, being around negative people for extended periods of time rubs off on us. It dulls your spark and robs you of positivity. Be selective in how much time you spend around anxious and depressed individuals making sure that your emotional tank is replenished after every interaction.
  

Always remember that there are ebbs and flows in life. Some days are better than others. Be kind to yourself.