{"id":2411,"date":"2020-11-24T21:04:00","date_gmt":"2020-11-24T21:04:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.emhla.com\/?p=2411"},"modified":"2022-06-10T19:33:03","modified_gmt":"2022-06-10T19:33:03","slug":"practicing-gratitude-in-the-pandemic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.emhla.com\/practicing-gratitude-in-the-pandemic\/","title":{"rendered":"Practicing Gratitude in the Pandemic"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s been a rough year, and yet there are things to be thankful for, despite the obvious and very challenging circumstances. As the pandemic drags deeper into the fall, and even with the promise of vaccines in the next year, the fact remains that the virus has upended our way of life. Thousands of lives have been lost, global economies and jobs have been crushed, and it will even disrupt the time-honored tradition of family and friends gathering together for the holidays. But we can \u2013 and should \u2013 continue to be grateful. Here\u2019s why.<\/p>\n

Gratitude goes beyond simply adapting to the circumstances: It is the thankful appreciation for positive things we experience, from major life moments and achievements, to simple pleasures we take for granted, as well as the people that we appreciate in our lives.<\/p>\n

A key personality trait associated with positive emotional functioning, it is also a powerful tool to help you shape the narrative of your life and establish a more positive balance of acceptance and appreciation. Like many other positive habits, a concerted gratitude practice can help develop a sense of wellbeing and worth, even when our lives have changed due to age, loss of a loved one, illness, or other challenges. Some studies suggest practicing gratitude can reduce stress, improve sleep, and foster better relationships by building a sense of empathy and forgiveness.<\/p>\n

As a clinical psychologist who works with aging populations, many of them who are battling depression, I know first-hand how a regular practice of gratitude \u2013including the writing a gratitude journal\u2014can be transforming, but also taxing. Sometimes, situations arise where someone is unable to identify a different aspect of their lives for which they are grateful. I let them know that this is absolutely ok.<\/p>\n

That said, and while I am professionally aware of the myriad benefits of gratitude, it\u2019s not easy to keep feeling grateful in a pandemic. We are constantly bombarded with bad news, and I myself have fallen into the trap of focusing my attention on all the negativity in my world, leaving me with a warped view of life that leaves little room for gratitude. So, how can we be grateful in this crazy time?<\/p>\n

Step one: Define a place for gratitude in your life<\/strong><\/p>\n

There are two ways to work on gratitude in a clinical practice:\u00a0verbally<\/strong>\u00a0and in a\u00a0gratitude journal<\/strong>. I have found that bringing in gratitude and having a verbal discussion in the clinical work seems to be most effective for those who are dealing with circumstances that are outside of their control. The pandemic has presented numerous opportunities to work with gratitude with my patients.<\/p>\n

When working with those who are able to maintain a journal, the actual type of journal does not seem to matter too much \u2013 as long as the patient has something that can collect their responses and that they can review periodically is really all that is needed. In order for this to become a practice, an initial buy-in is necessary, and this can be obtained often by the basic act of identifying an aspect of their life for which they are grateful \u2013 especially when life spirals outside of their control, being reminded of things in their life for which they are grateful can provide immediate benefits and makes it likely that this can become a habit.<\/p>\n

Step two: Make it a daily habit<\/strong><\/p>\n

For patients living in a situation where so many things are outside of their control, and especially in the midst of the pandemic, I do recommend that this become a daily exercise.<\/p>\n

Doing this the same time each day can enhance the chances that this becomes a regular and consistent practice, and a good time to do this might be before dinner \u2013 enough of the day has gone by where most people can identify at least one thing in their life that occurred during the day that brings up gratitude. Instead of prescribing a certain number of gratitude items to identify for the list, I usually recommend that patients identify at a minimum one item for their daily gratitude list, and they are welcome to add more if they would like.<\/p>\n

Step three: Start to track the good things in life<\/strong><\/p>\n

Once committed to practicing gratitude, the good stuff can begin! Working with your clinician or by yourself, begin to ask questions \u2013 again, on a daily basis \u2013 which explore the positive aspects in your life. Take a look at these and others suggested by\u00a0Positive Psychology Journal:<\/a><\/p>\n