11 Nov What Has Someone Done For You Today?

This blog post was written by Recovery Help Now’s, Vanessa Blaxland, MFTi.

With Thanksgiving just around the corner I was very glad to hear that this month’s theme is gratitude.  With our busy lives I think we sometimes forget to practice gratitude or even think about what we have in our lives that we can be thankful for.  It’s so easy to get caught up in negative and what is bringing us down that we fail to acknowledge that there is another side, a positive side.  Fortunately we can make gratitude apart of our everyday lives.

Gratitude is not only the act of being thankful; it is a practice, a practice that can have many benefits throughout your day.  When I think of gratitude it reminds me of a colleague that uses Naikan Therapy.  One of the questions Naikan Therapy is based on is “What have others done for me today?”   Such a simple question right?  But this simple question can help us become more aware of what we can be thankful for.   When acknowledge what we are grateful for we can see benefits such a better mood, more positive thinking, and more positive interactions with others.  But I think the best part is that gratitude is contagious.  It cannot only spark a light in you but in others as well.  So spread some gratitude this holiday!