It's been a difficult year for many. With the economic collapse came millions of lost jobs, the going-out-of-business of companies and shuttering of publications and extreme financial issues. As the holiday season approaches, you may wonder what there is really to be thankful for. But it is important to remain grateful for what you do have, however inconsequential it may seem.
In expressing gratitude, even in the midst of negative occurrences, you are remaining positive. When you concentrate too heavily on the negative, you fall into a self-fulfilling prophecy. In keeping positive, you'll align yourself for more positive things to begin manifesting themselves in your life.
Remember the Obvious
Often, what's going well in our lives is taken for granted. They are things you're used to having, and can't imagine your life without. We tend to concentrate most on what we don't have, but what about what we do have? Try picturing your life without the obvious, such as your health and family? Do you have a car? A home? A job? Clothing to wear and food on the table? Remember that there are many people who don't have some of these things. Remembering to be grateful for the small things in life, like getting a good night's sleep, catching your train to work just in time, or having a nice filling, warm meal at the end of a long work day, is a step in the right direction.
Keep a Gratitude Journal
A great way to begin thinking of what you are grateful for is to write them down. Set a specific time a the end of each week to focus on the things you are and should be most appreciative. Record the most meaningful ones (visiting a family member or having a long talk with a best friend that made you feel better) and the smaller things that are often easy to miss (enjoying a delicious lunch or taking a walk in the park). Count your blessings, but not too often. Sonja Lyubomirsky, an experimental psychologist at UC Riverside, found that people who once a week wrote down five things they were grateful for were happier than those who did so three times a week. Doing this too often could cause the practice to lose its meaning and freshness. Rather, keep a once weekly list of things for which you are grateful to receive the best benefits.
This simple exercise has been shown to put a smile on faces, and overall, increase happiness. Psychologists Robert Emmons and Michael McCullough asked study participants to spend a few minutes each week carrying out one of three writing tasks. While one group wrote down five things for which they were grateful, the second group listed five things that annoyed them, and the last group jotted down five events that had taken place the previous week. Those in the "gratitude group" mentioned things like their friends' generosity or seeing a summer day's sunset, while the "annoyed group" jotted down things like paying taxes and the "events group" noted everyday things, like making breakfast and getting to work. Compared to those in either the "annoyed" or "events" groups, people that expressed gratitude were more happy, more optimistic about the future, and physically healthier.
Harder-to-See Gifts
Some of the best gifts are the most difficult to see and acknowledge. The car accident that you nearly got into, but narrowly missed. The job you hate going to, but that pays the bills. A smile received after a tough day. Family and friends, who may drive you insane at times, but are there through the good and bad and who offer a shoulder to lean on and a listening ear. Life, in itself, that we often forget because we're too busy and stressed with all that we need to do. Remember that tomorrow isn't always and necessarily a given, and be grateful for the simple, but special, moments of each day.
Count Your Blessings, Not Your Burdens
A recent experiment called The Science of Happiness study showed that smiling and reliving happy memories are effective in boosting one's mood. Thinking of something positive that occurred the previous day as simple as enjoying a good meal or having a decent day at work was most effective in cheering people up, providing an additional 15 percent boost in happiness.
This holiday season, for what are you grateful and how will you give thanks?
