Picture this: It’s a beautiful day outside. Your classes have been going well and you were able to spend time with your friends and relax. It’s a good day. All of a sudden, you get a notification saying your grade for that one exam was posted. You open the Canvas app to find that you didn’t get the grade you were hoping for, and now your day is ruined. You let all those feelings of happiness and fun float away to be replaced with bitterness and disappointment. Sound familiar? I’ve been in this situation multiple times before, and it is definitely not fun.
But why do we let this happen? Why let one bad thing dictate the quality of our entire day? These are tough questions to answer because of the growing amount of negativity that has engulfed our society. There is too much pessimism everywhere, and I think people need to take a moment to reflect on what they’re grateful for. It’s the perfect time to do this since Thanksgiving is coming up, so let’s all try it together.
Research shows gratitude can be very good for our health. It suggests taking the time to be thankful can reduce depression, lessen anxiety, relieve stress and improve sleep. Having a grateful mindset can be a great coping mechanism, calming your mind and helping you feel relaxed. Being thankful can also help you lead a happier life, since gratitude combats negative thinking and encourages you to think about the present.
Almost every morning, my parents go on a little drive and do their “Gratefuls.” It’s something they started a few years ago, and it has really impacted their lives and thinking habits. They each say something they are grateful for, no matter how small — clothes, weather, running water — and then something they are looking forward to. By doing this, it helps them feel more positive about the day and reminds them of something they are excited about. I recommend you try this. You don’t have to do it every day, but when you’re feeling down, instead of going into the dark caves of negativity, travel to the high mountains of gratefulness, and think about the things you’re happy about or excited for.
I’m still working on this myself. I constantly look at things with a glass half-empty attitude and it’s very difficult for me to think positively. I’ve been trying to change that and start truly reflecting on the situation before diving into the negatives, and I think I’ve gotten better. I still find myself thinking negatively about certain things, but it’s not as permanent, and I don’t let it entirely ruin my day. I try to focus on the things that are going well in my current situation and be thankful for what I do have.
An example of this is a recent issue I’ve been learning how to deal with. I’ve been having a bit of friend trouble these past couple months, and since I’m an overthinker, I think about it all the time. My negative thoughts would have me spiraling into loneliness almost every day because I was worried they didn’t like me, and I always felt insecure whenever I was around them. I honestly felt like a ghost in that group. But one day, I decided to change my approach. Instead of thinking about those friends and feeling sad about that situation, I decided to focus on the one friend that makes me feel happy and appreciated. I decided to think about how thankful I am for that one friend, which made me feel so much better. This helped me stop caring about what my other friends thought of me. I started to spend less time with that group and more time with my other friend. I’ve felt so much happier since then because I focused on what I was grateful for.
With that, I encourage you to be thankful. Be thankful for what you have, no matter what happens. Gearing your attention toward the good things in your life and what and who you are grateful for will help make whatever situation you’re in at least a little bit better.
So, what are you thankful for?
Evelyn Strauss (she/her) is a freshman studying international studies and human biology.
