November 2023 - Cultivating Gratitude
Sometimes I have a hard time focusing on the good things in life when I feel so deeply affected by the problems and strife in the world (personally, nationally, and globally).
One practical strategy I’ve used for years is called “Three Good Things”. A gratitude practice from Shawn Achor’s The Happiness Advantage, it helps me get into the habit of looking for positives instead of the scanning for and dwelling on issues (as our minds are evolutionarily conditioned to do).
I find that spending a few minutes doing this, either in writing or with someone else, actually impacts my mood and comforts me. While the practice doesn’t change the circumstances, I find it buoys my spirits and helps me relate to life’s challenges more skillfully.
