Wrapping up the Year with Gratitude

Wrapping up the Year with Gratitude

It’s hard to believe that in just two short months, 2020 will be coming to a close. It seems to somehow have been the longest and shortest year of our lives all at the same time. There has been loss, fear, and change like we have never seen before. While it is certainly easy to pick out all of the negative things that have come out of the year, we’d like to take the opportunity to end it with gratitude. This month is Thanksgiving, and National Gratitude Month, so we’d like to share a few ways to help you find gratitude in your every day life.

Keep a gratitude journal  

It may seem impossible to point out the good things when it feels like the stress and anxiety is never ending, but there is always something to be thankful for. When you are feeling overwhelmed, force yourself to look for the good in every situation and every day. Write them down, no matter how small. Once you come up with one, the rest will start flowing. Keep this journal to look back on whenever you need a gratitude booster.

Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness is the practice of making yourself aware of everything you are thinking and feeling at any given moment. Whether it is good or bad, you accept it, evaluate it, and you don’t judge yourself for it. Breathing and meditating can be a part of this practice, and it is meant to help you let go of negative thoughts and feelings, rather than letting them build up and intensify. It also helps you to live in the present moment, where you are more likely to be thankful than if you are distracted by the past or future.

Make time for yourself and reflection

We all have heard the term “self-care.” But it doesn’t always mean spending money on fancy massage appointments or working out for 3 hours a day. It can be as simple as taking 15 minutes to yourself each day, with no distractions, just you and your thoughts. You can go for a short walk, or listen to some music while taking a bath. Any time you can get alone with yourself can have a huge impact on your mood. Take the time to reflect on what went well today, what went poorly, and what you can do to make tomorrow better, rather than dwelling on what went wrong. This will help create a more positive outlook and help you realize the small things to be thankful for.