Gratitude Through the Tough Times
Are you finding it difficult to focus as we continue to be deep in this pandemic? Are you juggling many hats — homeschooling your children, working from home & still keeping up with your typical home chores - and finding that your joy and happiness in life is slipping away? Do you all ready struggle with your mood and now don’t have access your strategies whilst staying at home.
Mental health is a continuum. What I mean here is that we all have fluctuations in our moods on a day to day basis. And when there isn’t a reference point available — as let’s face it all of our lives are different right now — it is hard to know where we stand on this continuum. If you are noticing that your mental health is slipping, it will negatively impact your family as well — which will further negatively affect your own mood. A pandemic is stressful to say the least. Stress impacts our mood by keeping us in a fight or flight state, running away from that bear. When we are stressed, it is difficult to remain calm, pleasant and joyful.
But what if you can find balance during the pandemic. What if you can take this time at home as an ultimate stay at home vacation? What if you can come out of this uncertain time with new tools, resources and ultimately a stronger you. Can you imagine this time of change to be an opportunity to blossom?
I have been communicating with many of my patients through telemedicine during this pandemic. I always take the time to ask them how they are doing, what their family is doing to keep safe and well. One story sticks out for me is a not a patient but a friend of mine who lives in a large community of people. She usually has a buzzing level of people in her circle — visitors coming and going from her home. So when speaking to her recently, I would have thought she would have a story of woe and loneliness. What I was surprised to hear was how thankful she is & happy that she has this time in her life to look inward. She has been resilient and continues to connect with others whilst practicing social distancing by using online platforms like Zoom & FaceTime. She spent our phone call discussing her hopes and intentions for the future. It got to me at one point in our conversation, wondering how could she be so happy during this time of global uncertainty and strife. So I had to ask her what was her ticket, gem or even medication she was taking.
I was surprised when she said it doesn’t come from a pill this level of positivity she gives off. But rather it is the simple practice of daily gratitude. Each day she writes in her journal - writing down what she is thankful for. And it doesn’t matter how big or small this gratitude is.
I have started implementing this practice within my own home. Myself and my children write down one thing that we are grateful for right before going to bed. I find that it is easier to reduce the worry that I too experience when I keep close to my heart what I am thankful for.
For my son, we have also enjoyed using “The 5 Minute Journal” to keep us bringing gratitude in the forefront of our days.