Attitude of gratitude

One strategy I’ve discussed for building resilience is developing an ‘attitude of gratitude.’ 

Sometimes people have big feelings and reactions to this suggestion, because it gets a bad rep because of how it’s used in toxic positivity.

 Cultivating a gratitude practice is not about denying or ignoring the bad or painful in our lives.

But when we have trauma or struggle with depression and anxiety, this can lead to our brain having a negative filter and ignoring or not seeing the positive. 

This is not a conscious choice people are making, it’s due to our brain’s default tendency to scan for danger and to notice what it sees as a pattern (the negative).

By intentionally putting into practice a noticing and reflecting on things for which you are grateful, that bring us enjoyment or a smile, etc this helps train your mind to notice these things. 

So put some structure in place to help build a practice of reflecting on what you are grateful for. 

Set an alarm in your phone to remind you, put it on the calendar, write yourself a note and post it somewhere to remind you. 

It can be an especially nice thing to do first thing in the morning to start your day off well or last thing at night to notice those things in your day. 

It may be difficult at first if this is a new practice to you. 

That is okay because it will get easier with time and practice.