Taking Time to Feel Gratitude
What comes to your mind when you think about gratitude? Is it a feeling you can easily tap into, or is it something that is difficult for you to feel? Can you experience feelings of gratitude even when everything feels stressful?
In this post and video, I talk a bit about “gratitude” and how sometimes an “attitude of gratitude” can help you manage feelings of stress. Now I don’t mean expressing gratitude in a “toxic positivity” way, where you deny the reality of your experience. Denying how your experiences affect you doesn’t help in the long run because when we deny our truth, it can lead to inner conflict that can lead to more feelings of stress.
So instead what I mean is being able to find some simple thing that you can feel gratitude for. It can be as basic as the fact that you’re still breathing another day. Or maybe you’re grateful for the existence of cute animal videos that can provide you with a serotonin boost when you’re feeling down.
Reasons Why It Can Be Helpful to Tap Into Feelings of Gratitude
Whatever it is, it doesn’t have to be complex. That’s because sometimes when we get caught up in stress, we can forget the simple things. Taking time to recognize things in your life that you’re thankful for actually can help you feel better. Explicitly identifying those things you’re grateful for helps you to see a bigger picture that is more spacious than what you may be currently seeing as a result of feeling overwhelmed.
As well, when you identify what you’re grateful for, it can help you to feel more grounded. Sometimes when we feel stressed or overwhelmed, all of our energy can move up into our heads. We lose connection with our bodies and instead become a whirlwind of thoughts.
Watch the video below to hear more of my thoughts about how feelings of gratitude can help manage feelings of stress. I also share a bit about how I personally find it helpful to take moments to identify what I’m thankful for.
What are your thoughts? Do you have a regular gratitude practice? If so, how does it help you? Tell me in the comments below!
Other Videos in the Managing Holiday Stress Series
And if you haven’t seen the previous videos in this series, you can find them here:
Video 1
Stress: The Benefits, Hazards, and Your Responses to It
Video 2
Stress Management Tips
