Expressing gratitude can be a valuable tool when it comes to healing from grief. When we’re mourning a deep loss, many tend to focus on only negative feelings. Reminding ourselves of our blessings can foster a sense of peace and balance. Creating the habit of practicing gratitude on a daily basis can improve not only our mental health, but also physical as well—which leads to a healthy grief recovery.
Here are 10 ways that being grateful can benefit our healing journey:
1. Appreciation for what we have in our life, knowing who we are, what matters to us, and what makes each day worthwhile
2. Lifting ourselves from the grief depression can reduce aches and pains
3. Changing our focus throughout the day by engaging with others, completing tasks, and starting new projects
4. Motivation toward making progress on personal and professional goals
5. Increased generosity and empathy for others around us, leading to more self-compassion
6. Positive emotions which can lead us to feeling hopeful and optimistic for the future
7. A sense of belonging connecting us to the world around us and identifying our place in the world
8. Better sleep with a sense of peace and reduced anxiety
9. Improved self-esteem helps us to feel naturally feel better about ourselves
10. Quiet that inner critical voice and negative thoughts that can disconnect us from those we care about
Here are some ways to start making gratitude a daily practice in your recovery path:
· Take breaks throughout the day to reflect on how you are feeling in the moment. If you’re having negative emotions, think of why and re-direct your thoughts toward ones of gratitude.
· Create a “positive trigger list” of happy moments in your life that gave you joy and relive those events and feelings.
· Do things for others. Focusing on making others feel good can in turn make us feel good and help us step outside that inward grief.
· Each evening, write down what you are grateful for each day. It can be something as small as watching a beautiful sunset to re-connecting with an estranged family member.
· Join a community that has the potential to bring positive benefits to your life. This can be a group that focuses on grief support, physical fitness, or spirituality.
· Incorporate meditation into your daily routine as it can reduce stress, increase focus, and provide a sense of calm.
When it comes to moving through our grief journey, at times our emotions can be overwhelming. Nurturing a daily gratitude practice can create a positive mindset shift that helps us navigate feelings of hopelessness and despair. Keep in mind that even though we can aim to be grateful as we mourn, it’s also important to honor our grief experience. In our time, we will move through grief to a place of peace. Practicing gratitude can ease the hardship of this difficult journey and help us feel joyful again and move optimistically toward the future.