An Attitude of Gratitude: Tools to Combat Depression and Anxiety in a Hurting World
Mental health has been declining worldwide in recent years, especially with the onset and after-effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Depression and anxiety have been on the rise and individuals are consequently feeling less satisfied and fulfilled in nearly all aspects of their lives. Thankfully, our understanding, approach to, and acceptance of mental illness as a society has changed drastically over the years, largely in a positive direction. There are medications and therapy to help individuals battling these various difficulties, and we as a society are generally much more accepting and understanding of mental illness and the gravity it brings, how difficult it can be to deal with, but also that individuals experiencing mental illness are still quite capable of living well. Medication and therapy are incredible tools to make coping with mental illness easier, but it turns out there are other tools that can also be quite beneficial for those dealing with depression and/or anxiety. One of those tools is the practice of gratitude.
Gratitude is, in simple terms, an intentional focus on thankfulness that can surpass immediate circumstances. The real power of gratitude lies in its action as a perspective-shifter. Even in the midst of incredibly difficult circumstances, gratitude is always an option. No matter what an individual might be facing, whether that be present hardship or anxious worry for future events, gratitude has a way of acting as an anchor of hope. Gratitude forces an individual to look beyond what threatens to overwhelm them in the here and now to what good there still is in the world and in their own life specifically in the midst of it. Gratitude changes your attitude. It does not make the difficult things disappear, nor does it even make those things easier to deal with, but it can equip the individual with the hope, the strength to keep going. Gratitude is a weapon with which to fight hardship. It is the light in the tunnel even when you cannot see the end. It is the reminder that, as J.R.R. Tolkien wisely wrote, “There’s still some good in this world [...], and it’s worth fighting for.”
Now even once one understands the power that gratitude holds, it can still be difficult to practice, especially if they are currently in the midst of hardship, depression, or anxiety. It is important in that case to have simple practices at one’s disposal that are easily accessible and already compiled in one place, so here are three suggestions for how to practice gratitude, whether it is on an everyday basis or as a lifeline to hold onto when life gets really difficult.
Gratitude Journaling: This practice can be as simple as writing a set number of things to be grateful for every single day. It can be one word items, like a “bed” or “coffee,” or it can be a more poetic investment such as “when it is so cold that I can see the air I breathe hanging, frozen in time and space.” This provides the individual with a more tangible (and growing) list of things to hold onto within their gratitude practice. It is most effective when done consistently on a schedule, but still holds power if only pulled out in those moments of desperation.
In Awe and Wonder: This practice brings the individual more into the present moments as they happen and entails engaging in an active state of mindful gratitude in the form of awe or wonder in the moment. It is easy to be wowed by the loud and flashy things in life, but what about the little moments which truly makeup everyday life like seeing the dew on the morning grass or hearing a baby’s laugh? When we re-frame the little moments and approach them like gifts, it restores that sense of awe and wonder to the seemingly mundane and ordinary.
Thank Others Intentionally: This practice can range from simply bringing more attention (and therefore intention) into thanking people when they serve you in any way, to going the extra mile and intentionally finding the good qualities you love in other people and, in gratitude, acknowledging and honoring those people and the qualities they possess that bring life and bless others. This brings the focus off of the self and focuses it on seeing the gold in others. The lenses you use determine what you will see, and the lens of gratitude allows you to see the good things, the light, the hope that is still in this world.
Practicing gratitude will not fix the world’s problems, but it has power nonetheless to make a difference in the lives of every individual who tries it. It can even be as simple as an intentional ‘thank you.’ It may seem small, but the impact is undeniable.