“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances.” This quote comes from Viktor Frankl who survived the Holocaust and wrote Man’s Search for Meaning. It is a good place to start when talking about gratitude.  

Every day we wake up and look at our phones. In fact, most of us get the news on our phones versus television nowadays. We are inundated with what is going wrong in the world, often before we finish our first cup of coffee. It is called “doom scrolling” for a reason. We can control what we look at on our phones and how much we consume from them, but we cannot control the actual news.

Political leaders, school shootings, government shut downs, benefits disappearing, soaring food costs are all current issues that can bring feelings of stress and uncertainty. It is important to be informed about what is going on in the world, but it is equally important to ensure that the stress these issues come with do not consume us.  

A good way to counteract the stress and negativity of daily life is to focus on gratitude. One can do this by “thinking forward” or “thinking backward.” Let me explain. Building positive moments into your days, weeks, months and year gives you things to look forward to. It can be as small as having your favorite cup of coffee each morning or as big as planning a trip to another country.  This is thinking forward and involves planning things to look forward to that bring you joy. I like to choose an essential oil for my diffuser each morning during the work week and this is something I look forward to that makes me feel calm and reminds me to focus on the good in my life. Thinking backward is the opposite. Thinking backwards is thinking back on what you are grateful for and I recommend writing it down or keeping a gratitude journal. This may look like taking a moment a few times each week to reflect on the good things that are happening in your life. One way to do this is right before you go to sleep. Right before I go to sleep each night I try and think of 3 things I am grateful for. This helps re-set my mind to remember the positive things that are going on in my life even when so much uncertainty remains.  

My challenge to you for your mental health is to search for things that bring meaning and joy to your life. Small moments with loved ones, a delicious hot or cold beverage, a good meal or even a nap are things that replenish us and promote feelings of calm and gratitude.

If you are struggling to find joy and gratitude in these uncertain times, we can help. Our trained and experienced licensed mental health counselors can support you as you process difficult feelings and find new ways to experience joy—big and small—in daily life. Please contact Life Enhancement Counseling Services today at 407-443-8862 to schedule an appointment.