Thank you … I am grateful

A few years ago, I posted a gratitude a day on Facebook and every now and again I get a “memory” posted back to me of an old gratitude. The posts usually make me smile either because I am still grateful (as in for fresh water coming out of my tap every day) or I was obviously working hard to feel grateful that day (as in my gratitude for paperclips)!

At the time of writing it felt good. Because I was doing it every day I had to think of something positive to say or I had to find the silver lining no matter what was happening. The process made me think about the good in a situation and over the year I started to do it naturally.

Recently I’ve been reading around the subject of positive psychology and it turns out that being grateful is an excellent way to maintain mental health. It appears from the research that gratitude is strongly and consistently linked to greater happiness helping you to feel more positive, be more resilient and build stronger relationships.

So, as we approach the end of 2020 – a year when it has been hard to see the positive at times, my advice is don’t set yourself unachievable resolutions.

Hopefully 2021 will be a better year for everyone but whatever happens I recommend that you decide you are going to thank more people, notice the good stuff that happens and even when the good stuff isn’t happening see if you can find a silver lining … not matter how thin!

And if you love a resolution here are a couple of suggestions for you.

#1 Write down something you are grateful for … every day, and then revisit your list in those moments when you need a reminder.
#2 When you achieve something, reach a goal or something good happens to you write it on a small piece of paper and put it in a jar or box … at the end of next year open the box and see how much fun you have had and how much you have achieved.