This is not one of those blog posts that is going to tell you that all you need to do is be grateful and you will feel better. In fact, it is the opposite.
I’m not slagging gratitude. Gratitude is a good thing. A great thing, even. It is important to count one’s blessings, and to see the good things that are going on around us. It can help us feel hopeful. Focusing on what is good can stimulate us into thinking more positively, which sometimes orients us to making healthier decisions for ourselves. Thinking about things we are grateful for feels a whole lot better than focusing on what we lack. When times are mild to moderately tough, sometimes it can be comforting to think about the things that we have to be grateful for, and we can get to a “it’s not great, but it’s not that bad,” kind of a place.