CV NEWS FEED // During the month of giving thanks, a Catholic counselor recently explained how to practice healthy gratitude to effectively deal with challenges in life, even when “feeling grateful” doesn’t come naturally.
Rachael Isaac, a pastoral counselor at Catholic Counselors, said in a November 5 post that many people’s perceptions of what it means to practice gratitude are often incorrect.
“One of the common misconceptions that I come across is, ‘Oh, I should just be grateful,’ meaning I should just be grateful and ignore my struggles,” Isaac said. “But gratitude is not meant to invalidate our struggles. It’s a way to help us gain a better perspective on them.”
Isaac offered a three-step process for people to begin practicing gratitude, noting that it becomes easier and easier with time. First, Isaac recommended being grateful for a specific thing, rather than a large category like “family” or “health.”
Second, she recommended practicing gratitude both in the moment and at the end of the day.
She gave an example: “You’re driving to the store, and the store is packed … and then you find a parking space really close to the door. And you take that moment to say, ‘Oh, thank you, Lord.’”
Finally, Isaac recommended keeping a gratitude journal to help build the habit of practicing gratitude. She provided a series of questions for reflection and the fostering of a disposition towards gratitude, including “What went well today? Where did I see beauty today? What did I do well today? What blessings did I receive today?”
While Isaac noted that practicing gratitude isn’t always natural, she said the benefits are enormous. Gratitude has numerous health benefits, like reducing stress, increasing the ability to problem solve, and improving sleep quality, but it has spiritual impacts as well.
“People feel a lot more peaceful and a lot more hopeful,” Isaac said. “Because again, it doesn’t make everything better, but it allows us to see that the good exists, too.”
She added, “It can really start to draw us into a closer and healthier relationship with God. I’m not doubting his love for me anymore, I can see it all around me.”
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Author: Hannah Hiester
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