How to appreciate what we have in a world that constantly reminds us of what we don't
by Dr. Drew Myers on November 18, 2024
As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, we often hear messaging about gratitude and thankfulness. The holiday season can also bring about increased stress due to family obligations, scheduling, finances, and a laundry list of other things. It’s easy to get drawn down the rabbit hole of negativity when things in our life are particularly difficult or hard to carry. But those stressful situations, in fact, represent a time in which it can be invaluable to recognize the things we are grateful for.
Gratitude is the appreciation of what is valuable and meaningful to oneself. In other words, it is a general state of thankfulness or appreciation. Gratitude is not only felt for tangible, physical things, but can also be felt in response to experiences, such as simply being alive or spending time with loved ones. In essence, gratitude is a chance to appreciate what we do have, rather than looking at what we are lacking.
Many studies have linked a sense of gratitude with an improvement in overall well-being. Experiencing gratitude tends to lead to positive feelings and emotions, which therefore contribute to an improved sense of well-being. Moreover, studies show that practicing gratitude is an effective intervention to improve well-being that can last for up to six months after the practice is complete.
Gratitude can actually affect our brains on a biological level. The regions of our brain associated with gratitude are also the regions associated with pleasure. When we experience or express gratitude, our brains release dopamine and serotonin, the two predominant “feel good” chemicals in the brain. As such, gratitude has been shown to improve sleep quality, reduce pain, aid in stress regulation, as well as reduce anxiety and depression. Further, individuals who demonstrate higher levels of gratitude have also been shown to have higher resilience to health issues and lower levels of inflammatory biomarkers.
Now that we understand the definition and benefits of gratitude, it’s time to put it into practice. This does not need to be an elaborate ordeal. You can practice gratitude by journaling about things for which you are grateful, writing a text or letter to someone for whom you are grateful, or writing thank you notes. Another great practice is the “Count Your Blessings” exercise, which involves writing or thinking of 3 things every day for which you are grateful. These 3 things can be as simple as a warm cup of coffee. If you utilize meditation or mindfulness, you can use those times to focus on things for which you are grateful.
As we head into this holiday season where we are sure to hear advertisements and rhetoric encouraging gratitude, it can be easy to meet this messaging with eye rolls as the stressors of our life continue. But life does not have to be perfect to experience gratitude. It simply involves focusing on what we have, instead of what we don’t.
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