Happy New Year
The end of the year is fast approaching. Before we know it, the Christmas season will be over and 2023 will be here. I think we can all agree it's been a Topsy-turvy year. It started out with hope. As the world was celebrating the fact that Covid 19 had done it's worst and we had a vaccine at hand to ensure that we had something available to fight against it's worst effects. So now that we are seeing the tail end of the Pandemic, surely it's time to relax and lay down our angsts and have a moment of celebration. But, instead we see and hear tales of doom and gloom whenever we watch world events.
Financial hardships caused by people being made redundant due to businesses closing as a result of the Pandemic, is rife amongst the populations of the world. Many have had to make sacrifices that have affected their way of life. We can see that in England for example, the amount of people that need to use Food Banks has increased considerably. Poverty is on the increase as the cost of fuel has also gone up for all house holds. Schools are concerned about the welfare of their pupils as higher than average families send children to school without adequate clothing or food. In fact, wherever you look there is someone in need of help.
It can be understandable to feel devalued with the lack of hope that surrounds us as we face many difficulties daily. But, what can we do as individuals to help ourselves and others through this difficult period.
Our individual outlook is a very important aspect to consider. It has been scientifically proven that dwelling on a situation in a negative light, can make your circumstances seem a lot worse. But, using a simple tool that we all have access to, can help to alleviate the mental effects of these difficulties.
In an article, written by Najma Khorrami in Psychology Today in 2020. Khorrami, highlights the power of gratitude on our Mental Health. In her research, she has come across a study that shows that having a sense of gratitude increases our concept of life satisfaction. She lists the following benefits of having gratitude that help to impact our outlook on life's challenges. Being grateful helps us to:
Feel valued
It reduces negative thinking and feelings
It encourages our imagination to retain a sense of wonder and childlike curiosity
It can inspire us
It reduces worry and frustration
The Positive Impact of Gratitude on Mental Health | Psychology Today - here is the link.
This study almost sounds like a fairy story in our present circumstances. But I have attempted to put this concept into practice. Recently, I woke up one morning feeling the pressure of all the negative things in my life. Nothing seemed to be going right for me and I was beginning to experience a sense of hopelessness.
Worrying Thought | Feeling of gratitude |
|---|---|
I was worrying about the financial crisis. | I became grateful that I and those I loved all lived through the Pandemic. |
A congenital illness was worsening. | It could have worsened sooner. At least I am able to still be largely independent. |
My medical condition restricts my contact with others outside the home. | I joined a community choir that only required 1 hour of my time a week. I discovered lots of like-minded people that all have a tremendous sense of gratitude. |
Experiencing the empty nest syndrome. | I'm grateful that my children are independent and can navigate their way in this world. I also have time to do activities, courses etc. that I couldn't do before. |
It took some time to come to these positive and gratitude filled responses, but once I got there it became easier to see things in a more positive light.
Let's all face the fact that we are most likely to be in for a difficult year. But we can determine how we respond to situations by what thoughts we choose to dwell on. I challenge us all to have a Happy New Year made easier by finding gratitude in whatever it brings.
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