Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow
Gratitude is defined as a temporal state of being grateful for various things in life. It is also a life orientation towards noticing and appreciating the positive in the world, showing appreciation for the present moment. It is a conscious decision that allows us to gain perspective of the situation through different lenses.
Did you know that Gratitude has healing benefits and can improve your mental health? Research has shown that practicing Gratitude can boost your resilience to stress, promote well-being, and reduce depression. Also, it can enhance your recovery. Gratitude builds inner resources that can help us during hard times. Often during the cancer journey, patients face difficult situations; appreciation may facilitate coping with negative emotions, building resilience, and restoring cognitive flexibility. Research suggests that focusing on reasons for being grateful promotes various aspects of well-being. Gratitude can be an option to cope, sometimes, with anxiety and stress.
A psychology study, “Using a Gratitude Intervention to Improve the Lives of Women With Breast Cancer: A Daily Diary Study,” examined the effectiveness of a gratitude intervention for women with breast cancer. Each day for two weeks, 42 women with breast cancer described their psychological well-being, social support, and coping strategies. Listing the reasons for Gratitude led to higher levels of daily psychological functioning, greater perceived support, and greater use of adaptive coping strategies. These results suggest that gratitude interventions may improve the lives of oncological patients.”
Gratitude helps us grow, start counting blessings, and recognize the value of our life and the life around us. It is about being grateful for ourselves, what we have, and the life around us. By making this a habit, you can shift your thinking to be more positive and beneficial.
“Grateful thinking, and expression of it to others, can be associated with increased levels of optimism, energy, and empathy.” Gratitude. Psychology Today.
Practicing gratitude meditation every day will help you feel happier and more relaxed. Research suggests that gratitude meditation stimulates brain regions related to emotion and motivation, compassion, and empathy.
We know that feeling grateful is challenging. Need help getting started?
Make a list of 5 things you feel grateful for. Try simple things, such as being grateful for your breakfast, the temperature of your shower water, and the sunny day. And then try to appreciate as big as your family, your emotions, and your work.
Try a Gratitude Diary.
Did you know that a gratitude diary can improve our daily psychological well-being?
How to do it? Journaling is proven to be a helpful tool for coping with difficult situations, including dealing with cancer. Take note of those excellent and positive, ranging from tiny to extraordinary experiences.
Write down three things you are grateful for each day, and focus on the positive. By writing things down, you can go back and review them; it’s time to appreciate the best of the moment! Try to choose three good things that happened to you daily, and write them for 60 days in a gratitude journal.
Take the time to appreciate and recognize your physical, emotional, and mental efforts and the work you do every day.
Items can be: “My son was so nice to me,” “I was able to eat the lunch,” or “Today was my last radiotherapy,” Try the journaling experience for 60 days.
What are you grateful for?
The Gratitude meditation is a great tool for you to listen while you practice these things.
