As you walk down a new path of sobriety and drug-free living, your outlook on life will often determine the success of your long-term recovery. Having an attitude of gratitude is actually a proven way to encourage a positive emotional state and a less stressful way of living. It can also be an important element of the self-reflection you learn in 12-step recovery.
While it is not a cure for clinical depression, nor will it magically solve problematic situations in your life, being consciously grateful can set the tone for your daily living. This gratitude is focused on what already exists in your life. It is a practice that allows you to unearth the good that is already there, and place it at the forefront of your mind.
Many people find that setting aside just a few minutes each morning (or each night before bed) in which to reflect on their gratefulness has a profound impact on their day. Whether you choose to be grateful in prayer to your higher power or simply meditate, is up to you. Oprah has suggested many times that a gratitude journal is the way to go, and we think it’s a great place to start.
Initially, it may take some effort to think of things you are grateful for, but remember, nothing is too insignificant for your gratefulness. Your list may even look something like this:
I am grateful for my health, for the means to enjoy a cup of coffee this morning, for a good conversation with my sister, for shoes that fit, for a second chance to live well, for a bed to sleep in …
By setting a tone of gratefulness and appreciation, you may find that you are less distracted and distressed by the things in life that are trivial, fleeting or materialistic. For example, realizing how fortunate you are to have a roof over your head, keeps the fact that you don’t own a fancy home in its proper perspective. This gratefulness spills over into your attitude toward friends, toward your job, toward family and toward many aspects of life.
Begin a gratefulness journal today, and see how it changes you.
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