To support caregivers during this very challenging time, we are providing periodic updates on evidence-based approaches for improving self-care and wellbeing. Today’s approach is called “gratitude journaling.”
It may seem counter-intuitive, but during times when we feel under siege from workloads, angst, bad news and suffering, we need to practice gratitude. Otherwise, we are at risk of inadvertently developing a “negative cognitive bias.” This creates a perceptual mindset that is constantly scanning for what’s wrong, threatening and negative in our environment. Without realizing it, we screen out the good happenings in our lives and everything seems a mess.
Addressing Negative Cognitive Bias
Extensive research shows one of the best antidotes for a negative cognitive bias is keeping a gratitude journal. This takes very little time, but the investment pays off by creating:
- Increased optimism and hope
- Less stress and catastrophizing
- More interludes of “grace” and peacefulness
- Improved sleep
- Higher frequency of healthy habits (exercise, nutrition, etc.)
Tips on Keeping a Gratitude Journal
The time investment here is minimal (less than 5 minutes a day). Here is how to keep a gratitude journal:
- Obtain a bound journal and a pen that feels good in your hand
- Keep it by your bedside or another readily available location
- Each morning, make a single entry about something you are grateful for in your life in general
- Each evening, make a single entry about something you are grateful for that happened during that day
To quote Brené Brown, a noted psychologist: “In 12 years of research, I have never interviewed a single person with the capacity to really experience joy who does not also actively practice gratitude.”
