5 Simple Activities to Help You Feel Better
(If you've landed on this page without doing the first two activities, you might want to go back to the beginning.)
#5 Be Grateful
Okay, that may sound like some sort of a funny demand—be grateful! But it is actually something we can practice in any moment. And there is overwhelming research evidence, especially by gratitude expert Robert Emmons, that gratitude is correlated with a lot of other good things, including fewer physical symptoms, more goal attainment, feeling better about one’s life as a whole, more alertness and attentiveness, being more likely to offer emotional support, even better sleep.
To me, this is one of the simplest, easiest and most profound things we can do on a regular basis—to appreciate and be grateful for what we have. It seems like a fitting final lesson, as it builds on your abilities to notice what's happening both outside and inside and to enjoy.
Let’s get to it.
Pause and name three things you are grateful for right now. They can be deep or mundane, important or whimsical—anything that makes you say, "Gee, I'm glad that exists." If you have practice with this already or that was easy, then name ten. If the word gratitude is hard for you, you can call it appreciation.
That’s it.
Here’s an example if that would be helpful:
1. internet
2. tea
3. the color blue
4. paper
5. my dogs
6. having a safe place to sleep
7. that person who smiled at me this morning
8. sunshine
9. electricity
10. things that are soft
You can take gratitude breaks during the day or make a gratitude list everyday or keep a gratitude journal. As with anything that is new or hard, take baby steps. Emmons’ research shows that even making a list of five once a week has an effect.
If any of these exercises are frustrating or triggering, you can contact me for support.
