Lighten the load
Giving thanks for the simple things GRATITUDE AND MENTAL HEALTH
overwhelmed. You can be grateful for your life while acknowledging there are parts of it you would like to change. Both things can be true. PRACTICE THE PAUSE This November, instead of pressuring yourself to create the perfect holiday, buy the perfect gifts, cook the perfect meal or make everything look picture-perfect, consider slowing down enough to notice what is already around you. Ask yourself: What made today a little better? Maybe somebody made you laugh. Maybe you had ten uninterrupted minutes to yourself. Maybe you finally said no without explaining yourself. Maybe you rested. Maybe you called an old friend. Maybe you simply made it through a difficult day. Give thanks for that. Gratitude can also look like honoring yourself. Thank your body for carrying you. Thank yourself for continuing to show up. Appreciate the boundaries you are learning to set, the relationships you are nurturing and the growth that nobody else can see. The simple things may not always photograph well or make it onto our social media pages, but they are often the moments that sustain us. So, as we enter this season of giving thanks, look beyond the big celebrations and accomplishments. Notice the ordinary moments of peace, connection, laughter, rest and love. Sometimes the simplest things are the ones worth being most grateful for. Jocelyn Gavin-Lane is a licensed clinical social worker and the lead therapist, founder and owner of Premier Professional Counseling Services. Reach her at (228) 220-4226.
November has a way of reminding us to be grateful. We gather around tables, reconnect with family and friends, share meals and talk about what we are thankful for. But gratitude doesn’t always have to be about the big things. Sometimes, it’s the simple things
BY JOCELYN GAVIN LANE
that deserve our attention. A quiet cup of coffee before everyone else wakes up. A song that comes on at exactly the right time. A text from somebody checking on you. Laughing until your stomach hurts. Sitting in the car for five extra minutes before going inside. Fresh sheets. A good meal. A moment when your mind finally gets quiet. Those things count, too. NOTICE THE GOOD When we talk about mental health, we often focus on what needs to be fixed: stress, anxiety, burnout, grief, trauma, relationships or the never-ending list of responsibilities waiting for us. Those conversations are important. But caring for our mental health also means recognizing the moments that make life feel a little lighter. Gratitude gives us an opportunity to notice those moments. That doesn’t mean pretending everything is wonderful when it isn’t. Gratitude should never require us to ignore pain or convince ourselves that we shouldn’t be struggling because someone else has it worse. You can be thankful and tired. You can appreciate your family and still need some space. You can be blessed and
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