For some people, gratitude may be a foreign concept all together. There are simple ways to incorporate gratitude enhancing activities into any daily routine. This is where showing appreciation for even small gestures of kindness or relatively minuscule positive occurrences comes into play. Practicing gratitude by thanking someone who lets you cut in line in the supermarket because you only have one item is an appropriate way of showing gratitude and ingraining it into your own practices. If you started to expect such a favor all the time, however, your entitlement could lead to refusal and then hostile thinking. Gratitude for even the smallest courtesies can promote a consistent sense of thankfulness.
This was mind-boggling in both its simplicity and its radical reframing. There will be times when we’re older when we won’t be able to do what we can now, and gratitude has taught me to make the most of what I have, while I have it. For me, gratitude was a gateway to recovery and practising gratitude was the first thing that gratitude and recovery created a sense of hope in me. Don’t postpone joy waiting for a day when your life is less busy or less stressful. So much of recovery is helping others who are going through the same struggle. If you acknowledge the past and appreciate the journey in a positive, intentional way, you might teach others to do the same.
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For people working on recovery from substance abuse, cultivating the proverbial “attitude of gratitude” can boost the success of all aspects of a recovery plan. For these reasons, seeing life through the lens of gratitude can also help to prevent relapses. It’s good to revisit your journal to see what you’ve written down that you’re grateful for, especially on challenging days, where you feel like you’re struggling a little more. It will lift your spirits and ‘re-program’ your brain to think more positively, which will ensue happier feelings. Instead of focusing on material possessions this holiday season, these nine tips can help you practice gratitude in recovery and learn how to be thankful and content with what you already have. Life is full of experiences and challenges, many of which can teach you valuable lessons.
- For those in addiction recovery, it’s a transformative force, rebuilding lives and reigniting hope, one appreciative thought at a time.
- Volunteer your time, or join a support group to share your experiences with addiction and help others in similar circumstances find their way to recovery.
- It was found that the cancer had regionally spread in the lymph nodes, so I went through the chemotherapy successfully and I have since been an extremely healthy person.
- We want you to know how grateful we are for fitting in our old frail father so quickly and being so accommodating on all levels.
It might be a little harder to find the thing to be grateful for on those days, but you can find it. Making an effort to practice gratitude regularly can have an incredibly positive impact on your mental health. It forces you to appreciate the progress you’ve made, enjoy even the minor things in life and acknowledge everything in life that helps you — such as people, your body, medication and more. Countless studies have found that people who actively practice gratitude report higher levels of happiness and are less likely to suffer from depression.
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The quicker you can assume a position of feeling gratitude for being sober, the more likely your recovery will be successful and make a lasting impact on your ability to maintain sobriety. Those who view recovery as a burden or see their recovery experience as negative are more likely to turn back to alcohol or drugs. Gratitude inspires the mind and the body to turn away from substance abuse. On the other hand, gratitude can also arise more outwardly towards others who have helped in your recovery process.
Even if today wasn’t your best, have perspective on how far you’ve come. Your progress is an achievement, and you can only appreciate the good when you acknowledge the bad. At Lifeskills South Florida, we’re here for those seeking help with a drug or alcohol addiction.
Gratitude Can Help Reduce Feelings of Entitlement and Increase Appreciation
For many, our brains have been wired and become accustomed to thinking one way—often negative. Those with addiction issues, sometimes have maladjusted ways of thinking which become habits. These thoughts, as mentioned, can tend to be negative, always seeing what is wrong and what we don’t want. However, if you are able to take that negative event and laugh it off or just forget about it, the day often turns around and is a good one.
It can be anything from the big (e.g., “I’m grateful for my sobriety”) to the small (e.g., “I’m grateful for a sunny day”). As you start to practice gratitude, you’ll notice the power of the words you choose. This should carry over into all the thoughts and conversations you have throughout the day. Try to eliminate negative thoughts and feelings or match them with a positive counterpart. Practicing gratitude is one of the most popular early recovery topics.
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By practicing gratitude during recovery, you not only boost your resilience in times of hardship but also lay the foundation for long-term success in all areas of life. At its core, gratitude is about developing a state of openness and vulnerability. It allows you to appreciate what you have instead of dwelling on your difficulties. According to studies, gratitude and happiness are always strongly correlated. In one study, researchers asked one group to note the things they were grateful for.