The majority of us know the importance of self-care and have heard of gratitude. Whether it impacts our well-being or our confidence, self-care is a practice of self-love, a skill that takes time to develop yet fruits benefits like no other. Media is often seen discussing methods people use for self-care, including activities such as going outside with friends or treating yourself with some products. These ideas are all proposed to provide stress relief, but often the results are only temporary, as many of us resort to these de-stressing activities only after we get to a certain point of stress.
Routines are often encouraged in self-care, but sticking with a routine involves discipline and motivation, which many struggle with. As a result, we get stuck in this mindless cycle of sudden motivation and temporary relief, to then slowly leave the routine and go back to our daily doses of stress till we can no longer handle it anymore. Cycle repeats. To prevent this, the most important part is to educate ourselves on one of the strongest forms of self-care: our minds.
Gratitude is just as it sounds: being grateful for what you have in your life, helping replace negative thoughts with positive ones. In modern society, it is so easy to compare one another. We compare ourselves in our classes, social media, physically, mentally, and in every way we can imagine becoming a self-destructive instinct. Practicing gratitude will help us realize the things in our lives we take for granted, even just simple items such as being able to take a walk; to most of us seems completely normal yet others would wish every day to do the same.
As cliche as it sounds, these self-care practices are much easier said than done. But the smallest gratitude can have an incredible impact on our lives. I challenge you readers to try this: at the end of each day, note three things you are grateful for, making sure not to repeat anything each day for a total of 2 weeks. This reminds you both of the good things in your life that you take completely for granted, and also forces you to focus on the present, combining both mindfulness and gratitude.
According to Harvard Medical School, in a study about gratitude, “One group wrote about things they were grateful for that had occurred during the week. A second group wrote about daily irritations or things that had displeased them, and the third wrote about events that had affected them…After 10 weeks, those who wrote about gratitude were more optimistic and felt better about their lives. Surprisingly, they also exercised more and had fewer visits to physicians than those who focused on sources of aggravation” (“Giving thanks can make you happier”, 2021). Not only will you feel more motivated in your goals and activities, but you are much more likely to be better involved in healthy habits that promote your well-being mentally and physically.
Push yourself to try it out gratitude if you have not already. It takes 30 seconds out of your day, yet can have the greatest impact on your mental health and view of life. Just try it yourself, and experience how beneficial the simple idea of gratitude can be!
Resources: “Giving Thanks Can Make You Happier.” Harvard Health, 14 Aug. 2021, www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/giving-thanks-can-make-you-happier.