Mental Health - Gratitude

Health & Wellness Gratitude

By Tracy Dasher, LPC Clinician at Georgia Mountain Psychological Associates

“Happiness comes when we stop complaining about the troubles we have and offer thanks for all the troubles we don’t have” - Thomas S. Monson

Can Gratitude be the Key to Happiness? How often have you caught yourself saying, “This is the worst day ever,” “That person is the meanest guy/girl I know,” or maybe even, “I hate my life?” This probably happens every now and then to most of us. Many of us are easily disheartened when things don’t quite go our way, or someone doesn’t react the way we would like them too, and we quickly engage in these irrational thoughts. Sure, doing so is only human… but it’s also very harmful. The brain believes what it hears. So, how can we knock these harmful thoughts down and adopt more positive thinking patterns? One word: Gratitude.

Practicing gratitude is simply being mindful about recognizing all you have to be thankful for. Yes, your car might have broken down or you had a flat tire, but at least you have a car. And sure, spilling that Starbucks coffee you just bought all over your outfit wasn’t exactly what you had planned, but at least you didn’t burn your skin. Granted, that person may not have given you the answer you had hoped for at the moment, but are they really the worst person in the world? Getting the gist? There’s a lot of value in looking on the bright side of things rather than going straight to the negatives. And there’s always a bright side because we all have something to be grateful for. So, why should we be incorporating this self-care strategy into our daily routine? Other than the fact that it helps to keep us in a positive state of mind, practicing gratitude is scientifically proven to: • Improve the quality of your relationships • Enrich physical health • Improve your psychological health • Enhance empathy • Reduce aggression • Help you sleep better • Raise your self-esteem • Improve overall well being

Now, on to the part where you find the best approach to this selfcare technique for you……. One thing that is very important to understand when discussing self-care is that it can look extremely different for all of us. It’s about taking the core concepts and turning it into a practice that works for you. For example, all of the research around gratitude and having a regular practice around being thankful is highly beneficial, but what that looks like and how it is implemented can look vastly different from one person to the next, and that is alright. I have one client who wakes up and simply starts speaking or thinking out loud,

Tracy Dasher moved to the north Georgia mountains at the end of July from Florida to be closer to her family. She is a nationally certified counselor and has her own private practice seeing clients via Telehealth in addition to her work with Georgia Mountain Psychological Associates. Working in the mental health field is her second career, Tracy spent 20+ years in Public Education (in Florida) as a Teacher, Administrator, Behavior Specialist and School Counselor. She says that she enjoys working with people of all ages. Her diverse background. when it comes to Mental Health includes being trained in EMDR, Emotionally Focused Therapy, ACT, and Mindfulness Therapy and many other types of therapies. She has been a wonderful addition to the GMPA practice.

listing the things she is thankful for from the time she wakes up to when she starts to drink her coffee. I have another client who makes it a point each day to say a few kind words to someone he comes in contact with, whether it’s someone he sees at the grocery store, someone he speaks to on the phone, or someone he comes in contact with at work. Both are self-care habits centered around gratitude, just different forms. So, what’s the best approach for you? Here are some examples, see which ones may resonate with you and try them out:

1. Keep a gratitude journal. A gratitude journal is exactly what it sounds like: it’s a journal to keep record of all your gratitudes or things you are thankful for. You can write in it each morning, each night, or simply whenever you feel inspired too. Whenever you feel life is handing you lemons…pull this out to remind yourself that things really aren’t all that bad! 2. Make a list. If you don’t want to commit to a whole journal of gratitudes, you don’t have to. Consider keeping a list instead. You can tape a piece of paper to the fridge, keep one on your desk, or even keep one handy in your purse. And then any time you think of something you’re thankful for, add it to this list. Keep it simple to start with …..aren’t you thankful for things like your pets? Your family members? A roof over your head? 3. Create a collage. Words and Writing not your thing? In that case, try making a gratitude collage instead. Collect up pictures of your favorite things—maybe they are pictures you have taken or ones you have found in a magazine or online—and then stick them on a piece of paper. Now, there’s one place where all the things you love live. And anytime you need a reminder of how fortunate you are, you can simply look here. 4. Cherish your relationships. Another simple way to practice gratitude is to cherish your relationships. Show your loved ones just how much you care about them—you can outright tell them they mean the world to you, sure, but actions do speak louder than words. Be there for your friends and family in times of need, do little things to remind them that they matter, and be the best person you can be for them. Hold space for them when they need you. 5. Give back. You can also practice and show your gratitude by giving back to your community. Make it your goal to perform acts of kindness at random when you have the opportunity. This can be as simple as paying it forward in the drive through lane, inviting a new coworker out to lunch, or volunteering some of your time or talents at the local shelter or church.