I have written about gratitude before but because I believe it has such importance in improving mental health I am looking at it again.

I like to think I am a grateful person. Despite what life throws at us there is a lot for which we should be grateful. And gratitude has a positive effect on mental health.

I don’t have to think too hard to realise I should be grateful for.

1 Mrs Teg. She is a remarkable woman. A tower of strength this year in particular when visiting hospital daily and caring for me at home.

2 Moodscope. I joined 13 years ago but it has only been during the last 3 years that I have fully appreciated the benefits of being part of the Moodscope team.

3 My local bowling club. I joined 3 years a go and have always felt welcomed by all club members.

4 Feeling secure in my lovely home.

5 Financial security. Grateful we can live comfortably without feeling particularly wealthy.

6 The opportunity I have been given following my heart surgery. It seems like another chance at life.

If our needs are met we should be grateful. That links up to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. You may be familiar with Abraham Maslow’s famous triangle containing the following 5 levels of needs in ascending order:

Physiological. Covering our basic human requirements for example hunger, thirst and shelter.

Safety. Feeling safe encourages love and belonging. So this allows for security in a tribe.

Social. Feeling safe encourages social needs for love and belonging.

Self Esteem. We also need status and self esteem. This comes from feeling not only part of a group but an admired and respected part.

Self Actualisation. Having our core needs met allows us to seek the most complete and authentic version of ourselves.

The spiritual leader Sri Avinash recommends a 30 second morning contemplation. Each morning upon waking: 

* Remind yourself how lucky you are.

* Don’t wait to see how you feel because you’re not going to feel good; probably groggy and tired.

* Just decide that I’m going to give it everything thing I’ve got, to make this day a beautiful day. I’m going to be kind to everyone I meet. I’m going to be gentle and sweet to everyone, even if they hate me. I love my life and I look forward to today.

There has been a great deal of research about the effects of gratitude and most of it concludes there are overwhelming wellbeing benefits in regularly putting it into practice. Gratitude journals are very popular.

Finally I am inviting you to take a few minutes and write down some of the things for which you are grateful. If you wish to share that would be great.

Teg

A Moodscope member