As we are facing this difficult time of Covid- 19, it is easy to say that tensions are running high. While we are in isolation and constantly watching the news, it is inevitable to experience feelings of worry or panic. Well, how about we trade in those strong emotions for an even stronger one? Gratitude is one of the most powerful emotions a human can have. Google defines gratitude as the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. Gratitude is expressing appreciation for everything or anything one has. It is giving energy and emotion towards the beautiful things in life. It has been scientifically proven that gratitude improves physical health, psychological health, and increases mental strength. Gratitude reduces a lot of negative emotions, such as envy or resentment. Gratitude also plays a major role in overcoming trauma. Why? It makes you look for the bright side of any situation, even when you don’t think there is one. A work published in Behavior Research and Therapy reveals how veterans from the Vietnam War who have higher levels of gratitude experience lower levels of PTSD. I think it is safe to say that unconsciously, we tend to focus on the imperfections of life. We give more attention to what is going wrong, rather than to what is going right. However, practicing gratitude daily can change that. Whether it be making a gratitude list before bed, or saying out loud what you’re grateful for every morning, it all comes down to the benefits of gratitude. You can retrain your brain to focus on the positive, on the beautiful things of life. Rather than focusing on what is going wrong, or what is bothering you. As we are facing this difficult time, now more than ever, is the perfect time to be grateful for all we have, count our blessings. Stop focusing on what is wrong and instead focus on what is right. Be grateful for health, for your body, for your loved ones. Be grateful for the simplest things, like a good cup of coffee or a good sunset, it doesn’t have to be some complex thing.
*Study on gratitude was found on psychologytoday.com/us and sciencedirect.com