Resilience—bouncing back, and at times even springing forward, after encountering adversity—requires courage, energy, and endurance. By definition, adversity saps our emotional strength, as it takes effort to wrestle with difficulties. Adversity can drain our energy tank through a negative mindset, when we selectively focus on difficult problems, on what is not going well. Discouragement follows, as we come to believe that we are “stuck” in a hard place, and that our efforts or others’ efforts to help us won’t make a difference for the better.
To be resilient we need to rebuild our strength and regain hope by countering negativity. A powerful, “tried-and-true,” “money-back-guaranteed” way to do so, is the habit of being grateful. Gratitude has been shown to help improve health and the sense of well-being, and to elevate our mood and improve our perspective. Gratitude activates areas of the brain associated with relief from stress, and is associated with the release of “feel good” chemicals, such as dopamine and serotonin. Gratitude (or simply “thankfulness”) has to do with our identifying something that is currently going well in our lives, and not because of our own efforts or abilities, but because of others’ kindness or goodwill, or because of what may appear to be a random blessing.
The next step after this identification is giving thanks either directly to those we believe have helped us or in our hearts, or both. In addition to helping us be filled with joy and other positive emotions, which do wonders for our resilience, health and well-being, a grateful mindset can help us learn to locate light even in the midst of darkness— spotting the proverbial silver lining in the clouds.
Like any habit, gratitude must be practiced regularly to help “rewire” our brains, so it is automatically available to us as a mindset (“wearing gratitude-colored glasses”), and also when adversity hits. (And it is a matter of when, not if, adversity will hit.) The regular flexing of the muscle of gratitude builds up in us the capacity for hope, the ability to see down the road, past the tough spots of the present moment. It also establishes a “can do” mindset, because it reminds us that we are not fighting challenges in this life all alone, that help and blessings can be just around the corner.
The habit is easy to build. Get yourself a notebook, and daily jot down what you’re grateful for. For additional bang for your buck, post at least some of what you wrote down on social media. Your practice will likely reinforce your feelings of gratitude. It may also create a ripple effect, spurring others to start documenting what they’re grateful for. And make sure you keep the notebook once you run out of blank pages. Reading it during trying times can be medicine for your soul and a fresh fountain of hope for a better future.
What are you grateful for?
