Happiness and A Gratitude Challenge

Again with the gratitude!  Because it works. It’s an antidote for so much of what we struggle with – anger, sadness, anxiety, self-pity, hopelessness, feeling overwhelmed, shame, embarrassment… It’s not that it shields us from ever feeling something difficult but it can immediately pull us out of a bad place when we’re stuck there. So here’s your challenge: once every day for the next week, use gratitude to combat a difficult emotion. Whether you feel annoyed at your roommate for not doing the dishes again, sad about dropping your crying toddler off at the new daycare, overwhelmed at the sheer volume of mess to clean up in your home – combat it with gratitude. She didn’t do the dishes last night but I’m so lucky that she loves baking cookies for everyone. I’m sad to be leaving as he’s bawling but I’m grateful he’s in safe and loving hands all day long. This mess feels too much for me but I’m fortunate to have a home to mess up and be able to afford so much stuff to mess it up with!  Often, that single thought of gratitude is enough to help you turn your mind from “this is too much” to “things aren’t so bad; actually, they’re pretty good.”  And if a single thought isn’t enough, go ahead and think a few more. Make a whole list. It won’t hurt anything.