{"alias":"blogEntry","byline":"","standfirst":"Especially when things are difficult, it\u2019s easy to miss the things we could be grateful for.","content":{"layouts":[{"type":"singleColumn","areas":[{"items":[{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"gtmId","gtmClass":"gtmClass","image":"/media/6617/advice_7.jpg","width":1920,"height":1080,"altText":"","caption":"","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003ELife is a series of ups and downs, fraught with unpredictability, cruelty and chaos. Right now, the reality of this is hitting many of us harder than ever. \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus\u0022\u003ECoronavirus\u003C/a\u003E means that people across the UK are facing disrupted routines, employment difficulties, and \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/news/2020/may/why-play-s-good-for-grown-ups-too/\u0022\u003Eeven bereavement\u003C/a\u003E.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EEven now, however, life is also a collection of tiny, magnificent joys and almost unreasonably comforting comforts. Warm toast. Hot baths. Rain. Apple crumble. Lie ins. The sound of a group of seven year olds seeing each other\u2019s faces (and virtual backgrounds) on a video call.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EEspecially when things are difficult, it\u2019s easy to miss the things we could be grateful for.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Humans have something called a negativity bias,\u2019 explains \u003Ca href=\u0022http://drchatterjee.com/\u0022\u003EDr Rangan Chatterjee\u003C/a\u003E, physician, author, presenter and podcaster. \u2018But even when it seems like we\u2019ve not had the best of days, I guarantee that something good will have happened. If you\u2019re not fully conscious of what that thing is, it\u2019s because the brain is a problem solver, constantly on alert.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018Being highly tuned into the things that could cause us harm served our ancestors well; it enabled them to adapt and survive,\u2019 says Dr Chatterjee. It\u2019s true that, at the moment, many of us are experiencing a higher level of threat and danger than we\u2019d usually expect.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EUnlike our ancestors, though, being highly tuned in to the problem isn\u2019t going to help us overcome it. As long as we\u2019re following government advice, focusing intently on coronavirus isn\u2019t the solution. Our bias towards hyper-focusing on the negative in situations \u2018is often working against us,\u2019 Dr Chatterjee explains, \u2018causing excess stress and anxiety.\u2019\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESimple things \u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESo, what can we do about our inbuilt negativity bias?\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWell, studies show that keeping track of what we appreciate day to day can be a helpful tool to have in our arsenal. It works a bit like an antidote to counteract the bias and help us look at things with a fresh perspective, especially on days when we\u2019re feeling stressed or low.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWhether we\u2019re noticing the big things \u2013 like the air in our lungs, the food in our bellies and the phone calls with people we love \u2013 or just taking a few extra minutes to enjoy life\u2019s little luxuries, it\u2019s all about reprogramming our brains to look on the bright side, even when it feels like there\u2019s very little light.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018A regular practice of gratitude isn\u2019t some fluffy exercise,\u2019 Dr Chatterjee insists. \u2018It\u2019s an intervention which we know can increase our life satisfaction, lower the symptoms of depression and help with aspects of our physical, mental and emotional health. The reason I so often promote it \u2013 in my clinical practice and on my podcast \u2013 is because it\u2019s completely free of charge, and accessible to all in some form or another \u2013 pretty much without exception.\u2019\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAnyone can learn how to harness the benefits of gratitude. It\u2019s never too late to start looking for the moments of brightness or things that make you smile. Like most skills in life, however, mastering gratitude early on can be a great preventative measure against unhelpful patterns that might otherwise form later in people\u2019s lives.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EStrengthening their gratitude connections can help young people to put themselves firmly in the driving seat of their emotions and behaviours from the starting line, instead of feeling like defenceless passengers left to navigate life\u2019s twists and turns with their hands off the wheel.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELong term benefits \u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIf young people can master gratitude, other benefits may follow.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn one of the most significant studies conducted around gratitude and young people (so far), 221 young people aged 11 and 12 were split into groups. For three weeks, one group set aside some time each day to write a list of the things they were grateful for, while the other group reflected on their everyday \u2018hassles\u2019.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAt the end of the study, the group who focused on the positives reported higher levels of optimism and life satisfaction, as well as lower rates of negative thoughts and emotions. They were also more \u2018socially inclined\u2019, and more able to offer more emotional support to others. In other words, they were able to extend their gratitude, and watch the effects multiply. The same thing happened when 14 to 19 year olds gave it a go.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAnd, perhaps most astonishingly of all, the results were long-term. Three months after the experiment was over, spirits were still higher.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EGratitude isn\u2019t just for young people. A surprising amount of research suggests that gratitude does good things for adults too, suggesting it\u2019s related to mood, self-esteem, wellbeing, life satisfaction, and even quality of sleep!\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn one study, researchers split adults into groups and asked one to write down things they were thankful for each week, while others wrote down \u2018hassles\u2019. Those in\u0026nbsp;the gratitude group rated their lives more positively as a whole, had higher expectations about the upcoming week, and experienced fewer symptoms of physical illness.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn a second study, people wrote down their gratitude or hassles every day. The gratitude group reported that they had a better mood, choosing words like \u2018enthusiastic\u2019, \u2018interested\u2019, \u2018joyful\u2019 and \u2018strong\u2019\u0026nbsp;\u2013\u0026nbsp;and they were also more likely have helped someone with a personal problem or offered emotional support to someone else.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAnd the good news? A study found that writing down things they were thankful for made people more grateful. Keeping a gratitude diary seems to work \u2013 and research suggests it\u2019s even more powerful to jot things down daily (compared to weekly).\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFor most people, it\u2019s not too much of a chore, either. People who start writing gratitude lists for experiments often find it\u2019s so enjoyable (and self-reinforcing) that they continue even after the study has finished.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESo, what are you waiting for? We\u2019re not saying that gratitude will fix everything (especially right now), but there are good reasons for giving it a go.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETop tips from the expert\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EInterested in trying it out for yourself? Here are Dr Chatterjee\u2019s top tips for getting started on having a regular gratitude practice, whether you want to write, draw, act, or just reflect.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Col\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E Be specific about what you feel gratitude for \u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ol\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen we sit down to reflect at the end of our day, being specific about what we\u2019re grateful for helps us to commit these positive experiences to memory.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ELet\u2019s say you\u2019re a busy parent, but today you had time to wake up early and have a coffee in peace. As you put pen to paper, try to replay the moment in your head, honing in on the details. How did the coffee taste? How did the mug feel in your hand? Perhaps you had time to listen to a favourite song or chat to someone you love while you sipped, or perhaps you were looking out the window. What did the world look like before most people had woken up? How did it make you feel?\u0026nbsp;\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe stories we tell ourselves in our mind shape our narrative of the world, so the more positive details you can recall, the better \u2013 even if what you write is short and sweet.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EYou could also draw something that captures the moment, if you can\u2019t find the words or would prefer to express yourself in a different way.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Col start=\u00222\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E Focus on people, not things\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ol\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThere are bound to be days when we\u2019re grateful for a new pair of shoes or fixated on a special virtual event, and that\u2019s fine. But, where possible, try to focus on the people in your life \u2013 how they make you feel and what you value about them \u2013 and you\u2019ll reap the benefits. Studies show this type of gratitude generates the most long-lasting positive feelings.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Col start=\u00223\u0022\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E Make it easy for yourself \u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ol\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EHumans are creatures of habit, so it shouldn\u2019t come as much of a surprise that we often need to \u2018parent\u2019 ourselves if we want to make things happen. Make it as easy as possible for yourself to do the action, until it becomes a habit. At home, this might mean leaving your gratitude diary on your bedside table, with the empty page left temptingly open, and placed beside a pen, so you don\u2019t have to rummage through the kitchen drawer for a spare one.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWith family, it might mean playing a gratitude game over dinner (like asking each other to name one good thing that happened that day), when you\u2019re already sat down all together.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s all about removing what Dr Chatterjee calls the \u2018barriers to participation\u2019, and it\u2019s worth approaching gratitude much like you\u2019d help a young person who needs help doing their homework, or trying something new.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s all about breaking things down into steps, and then simplifying those steps as much as possible.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFor more inspiration, you can find Dr Chatterjee\u2019s podcast \u2013 Feel Better. Live More. \u2013\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http://drchatterjee.com/\u0022\u003Ehere\u003C/a\u003E.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""}]}],"config":null}]},"searchDescription":null,"pageType":null,"location":null,"versionDate":"16 May 2020","reviewDate":null,"furtherReading":[],"relatedLinks":[],"id":48505,"nodeName":"How to be grateful","title":"How to be grateful","type":"blogEntry","image":{"url":"/media/6617/advice_7.jpg?width=800\u0026height=450\u0026v=1d9becd0ce86430","caption":"Advice 7","type":"jpg","size":580488,"width":1920,"height":1080,"altText":""},"assets":null,"headerOptions":{"headerTitle":"How to be grateful","headerSubTitle":null,"headerCta":null,"headerCtaText":null,"headerCtaLink":null,"headerBackgroundColour":null,"showSEOImage":false,"headerBackgroundImage":null,"quickLinks":null},"subHeader":"","browserTitle":null,"silktide":"eyJjbXMiOiJVbWJyYWNvIiwiZWRpdG9yVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9wcm9kLWNtcy5zY291dHMub3JnLnVrLy91bWJyYWNvIy9jb250ZW50L2NvbnRlbnQvZWRpdC80ODUwNSJ9","canonicalUrl":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/news/2020/may/how-to-be-grateful/"}