With darker days and the financial and social pressures of the festive season quickly approaching, the winter months can be a tough time for those living with poor mental health. A recent study by Leicester City Council1 has revealed that one in six (17%) adults live with poor mental wellbeing – this is an estimated 47,000 residents in Leicester. Dr Vicki Edwards, Clinical Psychologist and Director of our Leicester clinic, has recently revealed how practising gratitude can significantly improve mental wellbeing, specifically for adults. In this guide, Dr Vicki Edwards covers some of the key ways to find pockets of peace and happiness in everyday life – feeling gratitude in the seemingly more mundane and ‘normal’ moments.
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The importance of being grateful
Gratitude is defined as being thankful and appreciative of things in your life you deem to be good. By acknowledging and recognising these moments or things, it can help you to focus on what you have instead of what you lack – something many people find difficult in this consumer-driven world. The upcoming festive season in particular can bring out these emotions, with the pressure of buying the perfect gift, having the best outfit for the office Christmas party or general feelings of loneliness – but gratitude can help shift your mindset and put things into perspective.
Gratitude is an efficient practice which is easy to incorporate into everyday life for those struggling with feelings of anxiety, depression or other mental difficulties – although everyone can benefit from practising acts of gratitude. This guide covers ways to practise gratitude in everyday life to enhance overall wellbeing and happiness.
Gratitude journaling
For many people, the key to happiness is letting go of the ideas that they should have something or be something other than what they are – a fear-based concept that they will be unhappy otherwise. This is why it is so important to live in the moment and release these negative thoughts.
The latest, yet effective, trend is gratitude journalling, the aim of which is to focus on the positives of everyday life by writing down what you are thankful for. Taking the time to acknowledge what you have and recognising the positives of life can help to shift your mindset to a much more optimistic headspace. A gratitude journal is a diary of things you are grateful for – it can be as simple as a sunny day or eating a good meal. An effective way to ease yourself into the concept is by utilising the notes app on your phone to jot down ideas of what you’re thankful for each time you think of them throughout the day. Start slowly by writing down three things each day that you are thankful for and gradually increase that number as it becomes easier and feels more natural. It can be particularly useful to use prompts such as ‘I’m grateful for…’ or ‘today I’m thankful for…’ to inspire yourself.
The benefits of journalling
There are many proven benefits of gratitude journalling, such as reduced stress, a more positive mindset, better sleep, easing of anxiety, a boost in energy and increased personal joy. This is because on a subconscious level, gratitude journalling helps counterbalance our negativity bias, as being grateful provokes positive thoughts. However, like everything, gratitude journalling can begin to feel repetitive, so it’s important to dig deeper and use a variety of prompts to push yourself to reap the full benefits.
Being in touch with nature
Another great way to incorporate gratitude into your daily life is by making sure you spend time outdoors and away from the stress of a home or work environment. This is particularly important in a post-Covid world consumed by social media where in-person communication has significantly reduced and many of us work from home for many days without human interaction.
According to many studies, starting your day with at least 30 seconds of natural daylight can significantly improve your mindset. Sunlight is thought to increase serotonin which is associated with boosting your mood and helping you feel focused and relaxed. So, a great way to practise gratitude is to stand outside for just 30 seconds with your morning coffee and think of all the things – big or small – you have to be grateful for that day. It’s important to reflect on how fortunate you are and remind yourself that every day is a fresh start with endless positive outcomes.
We also know that physical health is linked to mental health and therefore gratitude walks can be one of the most beneficial exercises for both your brain and body. This can be as quick and simple as you’d like, but the benefits, such as improved sleep and even enhancing brain activity, are priceless.
Giving back
Having worked with many charities throughout my career, such as YMCA and the Leicestershire Action for Mental Health Project, I truly believe that the most special way to practise gratitude is through volunteering and giving back to others – and what better time to do so than the festive season, a time when charities are most in need. By volunteering your time or supporting a cause you are passionate about, you get to experience the fulfilment that comes from giving while knowing your actions will have meaningful results.
Vicki concludes, “Studies have shown that giving is beneficial for combating stress, depression and anxiety and serves to keep you mentally stimulated, improving your self-confidence and providing you with a sense of purpose.”
At Purple House Clinic, we offer mental health support for both children and adults seeking professional treatment from a diverse team of highly qualified and experienced clinicians. Our team work with people with a range of mental health difficulties including depression, anxiety, phobias, PTSD and complex trauma through a variety of therapies and assessments.
1 Mental health in Leicester, Leicester City Council, February 2024
