Wellness in the time of COVID-19 - Part 5

Hello everyone. This week I wanted to talk about gratitude. It can be easy to focus our attention on adverse things and negativity, especially at work. I’ve had a stressful week - as I’m sure many of you have too. I recently touched base with some old colleagues of mine from overseas. Both are in very resource-limited settings: one of them is currently working on the Syrian border for the Red Cross, another is in the Democratic Republic of Congo trying their best to prepare for COVID-19. It gave me perspective and reminded me to have gratitude for all the things I do have. 

Gratitude is defined as a thankful appreciation. According to this article from Harvard University, gratitude has shown to be associated with feeling happier. It also helps us cope with adversity. 

Here are some thought exercises to help increase and cultivate gratitude in our everyday lives. 

·      Go for a walk and think of 5 things along the way that you are grateful for e.g. the sunshine, the fresh breeze, the view, the family member you are walking with etc. 

·      Gratitude can be temporally associated, this means we can be grateful for something positive in the past, present or the potential for good things in the future. Pick one from all three categories (past, present and future) and write them down. Read them again in a week’s time. 

·      Write a letter to someone you are grateful for and thank them. In one study (link above) this was associated with feeling happier for up to a month afterwards (for the writer!). 

·      Every day for a week, list three things you are grateful for. Each day you have to list new things, so you can’t use the same thing as yesterday. This is a fun challenge!

·      Thank someone you come across in your daily activities that you’ve never thanked before (whilst social distancing) e.g. a work colleague, the supermarket worker or the postie. 

·      Keep a gratitude list on the fridge or in a journal and write one or two things each week

·      When you leave a shift, or a difficult resuscitation, think of one to three things that went well. 

When you are listing things to be grateful for, they don’t have be philosophical, insightful or deep. Start with simple things. For instance, you may be thankful for an umbrella when it’s pouring rain, or a hot cup of tea. Gratitude is about little things as much as it is about the big things. That’s the whole point of appreciation. Whilst I’m at it, I’m thankful for anyone reading this right now. Thanks for giving me a personal challenge of writing every week. 

Stay well, 

-A

Last week’s photo was of bamboo rafting down the Martha Brae River in Jamaica. This is one of the most pristine, peaceful rivers bursting with greenery and wildlife (including crocodiles). If I was back on that raft now, I’d be able to list many, many things I’m grateful for. But you don’t need a raft or a river to express gratitude. You can do it from your couch. Give it a go. 

Any guesses where this was taken?