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The pandemic has brought great uncertainty, changed our opportunity to interact with loved ones and has affected millions of jobs. While 2020 has been a trying time, which will likely impact the next few years of our lives, some would suggest it 麻豆精品 S檚 even more important now than ever to be thankful for what you have.

麻豆精品 S淭here are a lot of studies that show that our thoughts lead first, then our emotions follow, 麻豆精品 S� says W. Steven Saunders, UCF associate lecturer of psychology and a licensed psychologist. 麻豆精品 S淕iven that, establishing positive emotions or wellbeing 麻豆精品 S� even in the face of difficult things happening in your life 麻豆精品 S� by practicing gratitude can psychologically shifts your attention to things that are actually going right in your life. 麻豆精品 S�

Understanding the Benefits

Thanksgiving is a time when people typically express their appreciation for their family, friends, or a delicious meal, but the changes and challenges of this year may make it hard to find this spirit.

麻豆精品 S淲hether you 麻豆精品 S檙e talking to older relatives or younger friends over the holidays, talk with them about if they 麻豆精品 S檝e seen anything good come out of this strange, bizarre year and it might be interesting to see what different generations have to say about that, 麻豆精品 S� says Linda Simmons 麻豆精品 S�20惭础, aa staff therapist who supports students through the 麻豆精品 S檚 Counseling and Wellness Services.

麻豆精品 S淭he most reliable research suggests there is an indirect impact on physical health. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� Linda Simmons 麻豆精品 S�20惭础, College of Medicine staff therapist

Regardless, gratitude can be a daily practice that has long-term effects. Over the past decade, many studies on gratitude have shown varying advantages, such as improving sleep and mental health, reducing ailments, and even boosting your immune system.

But the benefits may not happen the way you think.

麻豆精品 S淭he most reliable research suggests there is an indirect impact on physical health, 麻豆精品 S� says Simmons, who recently earned a master 麻豆精品 S檚 in counselor education from UCF. 麻豆精品 S淕ratitude can help you receive the benefits of greater emotional well-being, psychological health, and social health, which can cause people to be more likely to take care of themselves physically and their medical health needs. 麻豆精品 S�

And while there have been mixed results on gratitude 麻豆精品 S檚 ability to influence levels of depression, Saunders notes that positive and negative emotions have a hard time coexisting together.

麻豆精品 S淲hen you purposely set up a positive emotion, it cascades and helps you feel good more often, 麻豆精品 S� Saunders says.

Authenticity is Key

Some people are naturally predisposed to a more negative outlook, making it harder to find things to be thankful for than others, Simmons says. Even if you 麻豆精品 S檙e a glass-half-full type of person, it may be challenging some days to maintain your gratitude.

麻豆精品 S淥ne thing we don 麻豆精品 S檛 find very helpful is forced gratitude. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� Linda Simmons 麻豆精品 S�20惭础, College of Medicine staff therapist

麻豆精品 S淥ne thing we don 麻豆精品 S檛 find very helpful is forced gratitude, 麻豆精品 S� Simmons says. 麻豆精品 S淚 wouldn 麻豆精品 S檛 advise launching into a person for whom gratitude doesn 麻豆精品 S檛 come easy or telling someone to 麻豆精品 S楯ust look on the bright side. 麻豆精品 S� Oftentimes that actually makes a person feel less positive. 麻豆精品 S�

Instead, take time to truly process whatever you 麻豆精品 S檙e feeling, especially if you 麻豆精品 S檝e lost experiences, people or opportunities in the past year. Sometimes the best thing you can do for someone else is to just listen.

麻豆精品 S淎 lot of negativity is fear-based and we 麻豆精品 S檙e living in an age where there 麻豆精品 S檚 a lot of fear going around, 麻豆精品 S� Saunders says. 麻豆精品 S淲hat we know about psychology is the more you talk about your feelings and emotions the more they change. So approaching someone with compassion and really listening can really make a difference. 麻豆精品 S�

Once, you 麻豆精品 S檙e ready to start focusing on the positive, Saunders says you should develop a ritual or routine around the value that is meaningful to you.

Grow Your Gratitude

Gratitude is a like a muscle and like any muscle consistent exercise is necessary for growth. One common practice is the 麻豆精品 S淭he Big Three, 麻豆精品 S� naming or writing a list of three things you 麻豆精品 S檙e grateful for each day. Keeping a gratitude journal can benefit you personally, as well as professionally. A study conducted by UCF researchers earlier this year found the habit can lead employees to exhibit less rude behavior and mistreatment of others in the workplace.

Another method is writing a letter to someone who has made a difference in your life. Although gratitude can make a difference even when you keep it to yourself, sharing your appreciating with others can help spread positive feelings and strengthen your relationships.

When giving thanks to a loved one, a new study published in Sage Journals found it 麻豆精品 S檚 best to be specific about how they helped support your needs. It also found that you should avoid pointing out sacrifices an individual has made for you since it diminishes their altruistic motivation for doing so.

麻豆精品 S淓ven if you don 麻豆精品 S檛 have a spiritual or religious belief, you can still practice gratitude in some simple ways every day. 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� W. Steven Saunders, psychology associate lecturer

麻豆精品 S淲hatever your personal belief system might be, you can incorporate that, 麻豆精品 S� Saunders says. 麻豆精品 S淓ven if you don 麻豆精品 S檛 have a spiritual or religious belief, you can still practice gratitude in some simple ways every day. 麻豆精品 S�

Simmons, who has experience as a Presbyterian minister and a hospital chaplain, says gratitude is an important value and practice in most major world religions, including Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism.

麻豆精品 S淔or some people, gratitude is spiritual. For other people, it 麻豆精品 S檚 interpersonal. But it 麻豆精品 S檚 outside ourselves in some way, something we didn 麻豆精品 S檛 make happen, cause, create, or earn 麻豆精品 S� it 麻豆精品 S檚 given to us as a gift, 麻豆精品 S� Simmons says. 麻豆精品 S淭o me, gratitude is an invitation to say 麻豆精品 S業 wonder if that 麻豆精品 S檚 the only way we can look at this day, week, month, season or year? Is there a way we can look at not just what we lost or missed, but what we learned, what is new about a circumstance or what brought us closer? 麻豆精品 S� Most of us have never been through a pandemic before, and we don 麻豆精品 S檛 know how to handle it, so however we 麻豆精品 S檝e handled it is OK. 麻豆精品 S�

Students struggling with maintaining their emotional and mental well-being can find support through . UCF employees and their dependents can take advantage of the聽, which provides confidential, short-term counseling at no cost.