In this last COVID-19 health tip before the holidays, we 鶹Ʒ Sre addressing gratitude 鶹Ʒ S an approach to life that helps improve your mental outlook, especially during challenging times. Medical research also shows that grateful, thankful people are better in protecting their physical health and in dealing with healthcare challenges. For advice on how to practice gratitude, we turn to Katherine Daly, a licensed psychologist who leads wellness efforts at the UCF College of Medicine.

In challenging times or when you 鶹Ʒ Sre under stress, its easy to get caught up in negativity, to pile one challenge on top of another and focus on all of your problems. Expressing gratitude 鶹Ʒ S stopping to think about what 鶹Ʒ Ss positive in your life 鶹Ʒ S is a proven part of cognitive behavioral therapy. Asking yourself, 鶹Ʒ STell me something good 鶹Ʒ S actually causes you to change your outlook. It shifts the focus of your thinking.

How do you start being grateful? Think about the times in the day when you need an emotional boost. Do you wake up crabby? At the end of the day, are you discouraged or frustrated by work? During those times, stop and take a minute. Write down in a journal three things for which you are grateful. A lifelong friend. A wonderful teacher. Your home. A pet. The fact that you have a job. A special skill or talent you have. A hobby you enjoy. Your parents, your children, your grandchildren. As you write, think about each of those blessings and focus on why they are a gift in your life.

Another idea 鶹Ʒ S Get a large jar or basket in a color or design you love. Make it a piece that gives you joy. At the end of each day, take a small piece of paper and write on it something for which you are grateful. Fold the paper and place it in the container. At the end of the month, you 鶹Ʒ Sll have at least 30 blessings in your jar. If you come up with more in a day, write them down and drop them in. By year 鶹Ʒ Ss end, you 鶹Ʒ Sll have 365 鶹Ʒ S at a minimum. On tough days, reach into the jar or basket and pull out one of your blessings. It will change your outlook.

Spending time in nature and practicing mindfulness are other opportunities to focus on gratitude. Get out in the sun. Enjoy a cup of morning tea or coffee on your patio or porch. Listen to the birds, the breeze, the silence. Focus on the things for which you are grateful. Do the same thing during your meditations or mindfulness exercises.  Be in the moment, don 鶹Ʒ St focus on the past or future. And as you enjoy the moment, think about your blessings.

It 鶹Ʒ Ss been a year of challenges, fears and uncertainty, and the holidays can add stress and isolation for many of us. If you are feeling desperate, reach out. Don 鶹Ʒ St struggle alone. Counselors are offering telehealth appointments. If you 鶹Ʒ Sre stuck in a rut of negative thinking that 鶹Ʒ Ss focused on what 鶹Ʒ Ss wrong in the world and your life, take a moment. Stop. Ask yourself, 鶹Ʒ STell me something good, 鶹Ʒ S and count your blessings.

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