“If pessimism insists on occupying my thoughts, I remember there is always tomorrow. Today I am blessed.”
The holidays can bring about less-than-thankful feelings. On campus it feels so much easier to be overwhelmed with our workloads, stressed about looming exams, and upset over cuffing season drama than it is to be grateful. Thanksgiving is a timely reminder to refocus on the things that matter. Of course, that is easier said than done. We need practical methods to help us focus on gratitude.
Maya Angelou in her book “Mom and Me and Mom” offers a good example. After feeling particularly overwhelmed one day, Angelou decided to sit down with a pen and paper and write down a list of things that she was grateful for. This task is simple yet wise. It forced her to visibly see the things that she was grateful for and perhaps to recall things that she’d not remembered or that she’d taken for granted.
It will do the same for us.
Try journaling a list of the things you are thankful for. Think of your family and friends, possessions and experiences, this campus and your classes. Then, dig deeper and write down the things you may be taking for granted. Angelou’s list included several beautifully simple items, such as “I can dance,” and “I can speak.”
What would yours say?
Even things as basic as our senses are important to remember and give thanks for. Being thankful for our abilities, thoughts, personality, and the people in our lives can help us to remember that our lives are not as bad as they may seem in the moment. We can even view the difficult things in our lives with gratitude.
Some examples:
-These classes are hard, but I’m thankful to be learning something that I would not be able to learn anywhere else.
-I wish I had a boyfriend, but I am thankful that I’m okay on my own.
-My exams are stressful, but I’m thankful to have gotten through hard things before and I can do it again.
Gratitude is not always an easy state. It can depend on the ebb and flow of our emotions and circumstances. To be grateful regardless of circumstances requires intentionality. We have to be intentional to remember what we are grateful for, and who we are grateful to. Focusing on these things eases the chaos of life and restores peace. The list-writing tactic is a helpful tool.
Spend some time recalling the things you are grateful for through this exercise in gratitude.
Be optimistic: Today you are blessed.