A Practice That’s Good for Your Health…. GRATITUDE :)

I can’t think of a better time of year to share with you a strategy that has helped me when I know the day ahead will be packed, stressed and unpredictable… making note of the things that make me grateful.  You might be thinking what I thought at first… “Oh brother, like this is going to help me!  She clearly does not understand what my life is like.”  Well, you’re right, I don’t. But I can say as someone who tends to put way too much on my plate and has a son whose set of challenges keeps me on my toes, that I didn’t believe in it either, until I gave it a shot.

I kept hearing about the benefits of “counting your blessings” and finding things each day that you’re grateful for, so I did a little digging. Turns out that there’s a growing body of research on the matter – and who likes data more than the disability community? Studies have found that giving thanks and counting blessings can help us sleep better, lower stress and depression and improve interpersonal relationships. Earlier this year, a study found that keeping a gratitude journal decreased materialism and bolstered generosity among adolescents, and we know how difficult teenagers can be! 

There is a catch – it doesn’t do the same thing for everyone, and what one person finds as a good technique for considering the good things in life, another person may not. I recently was listening to a podcast where the speaker, whose name I can’t recall, said something to the effect, “The repository of wisdom are those in our culture who have struggled through dark days.” This means, at least according to that guy, we are SUPER SMART human beings 😊 so don’t ever sell yourself short! You are amazing, and that is most definitely something you should be thankful for. 

Given that this week is Thanksgiving, I encourage you to give it a try. Here are a few ideas that I hope you find helpful and will make a difference:

1)  Keep a Gratitude Journal. Set up a time each day (maybe when the kids are asleep, or at school) in which you remind yourself of the gifts, grace, and things you enjoy. It’s especially important to remember those things that would be considered “ordinary” – that the kids got off to school without an ensuing tantrum, that everyone brushed their teeth without one falling out, that you got to watch your child smile about the story playing round and round in their cute little head.  

2)  Consider How Far You’ve Come. I’m positive that there were days that you didn’t know how you were going to make it. Maybe it was the day your child was diagnosed. Maybe it was 20 minutes into a tantrum that you didn’t know how to help your child come down from. But guess what, you did it! The tough times, and the ways you overcame them, will help you recognize some of the things we often take for granted.

3)  Tell Others You Appreciate Them. When a parent, friend, child, or other person in your life steps in to help you, that’s grace. Not only does thankfulness foster deeper relationships, but it blesses the giver AND the receiver.

4)  Make a Gratitude Jar (or box). Decorate it in any fancy way you’d like (this is a great one for the kids to jump on as well). Next to the jar, put a post-it notepad, or some cut up pieces of paper. Throughout the day, think of at least three things that you are grateful for. It can be something as benign as getting in and out of Starbucks without a 20-minute line. Write it down and place those pieces of paper in the jar. Over time, you will find that you have a jar filled with reasons to be thankful. It’s especially helpful on days when you’re down and need a quick pick-me-up. Take a few notes out of the jar to remind yourself of who, and what, is good in your life.

5) Use Gratitude Prompts. Within our community, we often hear the word “prompts”. It’s utilized pretty heavily with kids who have attention issues. Everyone benefits from prompts from time to time. This is a simple exercise. The goal is to identify at least three things in each category that you are thankful for.
Prompts can include:
–    I’m grateful for these three friends:
–    I’m grateful for three things I can hear:
–    I’m grateful for three things I can see:
–    I’m grateful for three things I can smell:
–    I’m grateful for these three things I can taste (On a side note, when I had covid last year, I lost my sense of taste for about a month, and it lingered for months! Yikes, that was HORRIBLE. I am most definitely grateful for taste!)

I hope you give this a try and that it gives you a sense of joy, peace, and appreciation for what you’ve come through and what you have. 

It is my wish that you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with love, laughter, and many blessings! 

Warmest, 
Stacey

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