I’m a licensed social worker who specializes in addiction recovery. I know that when my clients are at the bottom, it’s hard to look up and find things to be thankful for. Below, I’ve put together some tips I give my clients, and I hope they’re enough to help you get started too! They’re just a sneak peek of the many tips in my upcoming book, Life Lessons From Rock Bottom.
Let’s get started:
Think about the wonderful people in your life: Friends and family members play an integral role in supporting you and forming you into who you are as a person. Think about those who have loved and supported you during good and bad times.
- Share your feelings with those important friends and family members.
- Make a list of what you’ve been grateful for over the last five years. Keep it in an easy-to-reach place so you can look at it often.
- Try to eliminate past anger. Like many who have been through tough times, you may carry around a lot of baggage and blame toward certain individuals in your life. Try as hard as you can to let that go – and, instead, focus on building a healthy relationship with them.
- Take pleasure in the small things in life and notice the beauty around you. Be in the moment.
- Keep a journal. Each evening, write down the things you’re thankful for, whether it’s a family member, a roof over your head, or something as simple as the beautiful park near your home. Or, carry the journal with you so you can jot something down in the middle of the day.
- Help someone. Run an errand, wash the dishes, or volunteer somewhere. Give your help freely without expecting recognition or payback. Do it because it feels good.
- Tell people you appreciate them. If someone does something nice for you or says something kind, thank them and tell them how much you appreciate them.
- Don’t wait! If you’re appreciative of someone, tell them right away. Don’t wait until the next day or even the next week. Tell them now.
- Don’t fake it. Most importantly of all, don’t fake your gratitude – people will notice. Only say something when you really mean it.
- Write thank you notes. If someone did something nice for you, write a thank you note. It’s becoming more and more rare to get something in the mail – doing so will surely put a smile on someone’s face.
These are just a few of the many tips to consider for practicing gratitude. You’ll find many more in my upcoming book, Life Lessons From Rock Bottom.
About the Author:
Angela Weber’s a licensed clinical social worker specializing in addiction recovery, helping folks find addiction treatment by state and writing her first book – Life Lessons from Rock Bottom based on personal and professional observations from the past 20 years of her life.
