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How Can Gratitude Help Us Heal?

Many of us have received a lot of advice over the years about how to help ourselves heal from addiction and mental health issues. Some of the guidance we receive resonates with us, and much of it doesn’t. For many of us, the recommendations we receive to think positively, to be grateful, and to be optimistic can feel impossible to follow through with. When we’re feeling depressed and anxious, when we’re feeling as though life is too much to handle, the thought of repeating affirmations we don’t believe and trying to pretend we’re happy when we’re not can feel not only illogical but insincere and disingenuous. We know we can’t force ourselves to feel things we don’t feel, and we might not yet understand how much power we, in fact, have over our thoughts and emotions. We also might not realize that some things take practice and energy, and changing our perspectives is one of those things. Having a mentality of gratitude and appreciation is one of those perspective shifts that can create deep, meaningful transformation within us. How can gratitude help us heal?

When we focus on what we’re grateful for, in our lives and within ourselves, we naturally begin to feel more positive, more hopeful, and more at peace. When we’re used to thinking negatively, being cynical and pessimistic, and focusing on the worst of things, any kind of positive thinking can feel impossible. This is where our practice comes in. We want to give time and energy to cultivating our gratitude, little by little, over time. What are some things you feel grateful for in this moment? What are examples of some positive things that have happened for you today, this week, this month, this year that you are grateful for? What are you grateful for about yourself, such as special talents, gifts, and strengths you’re proud of? What blessings are you grateful for in your life, such as a caring family or friends you admire? What are you grateful for in your recovery, such as the chance to get well, the people who have helped you along the way, your inner strength to keep striving for sobriety?

Make it a goal to keep gratitude at the forefront of your mind. Create a daily gratitude practice where you list things you’re grateful for every day. Encourage your loved ones to join in with you and create a gratitude practice alongside you. The more you focus on gratitude, the more you will naturally begin to feel less anxious, less impatient, less angry and less unhappy. The more at peace and centered we feel, the more joy we cultivate within ourselves, the more our internal environment becomes conducive to healing.

The Guest House is a welcoming and supportive recovery home where you will be met with open arms, wherever where you are on your journey, without judgment or expectation. Call 855-483-7800 today for more information.