Practical Tips for Feeling Gratitude During COVID

Thanksgiving is a day to focus on gratitude. However, this year has undoubtedly presented significant challenges, and you may have a difficult time conjuring up that comforting feeling of gratefulness. Use these tips to help you elevate your mood and outlook with gratitude.

Give Yourself Grace.

Don't be too hard on yourself for having difficulty feeling grateful. Give yourself time and grace to process feelings of disappointment, loss, or uncertainty. This is important not only for your self-care but also for those around you, as having compassion for yourself also helps you be more compassionate towards others.

Don't Minimize Feeling Blue.

While there are still many things to feel grateful for, the pandemic likely altered events you were looking forward to --particularly Thanksgiving gathering and travel plans. Changing special events like these can make it difficult to muster up feelings of gratefulness, even when other areas of your life are going well.
Accept that it's natural to feel conflicting emotions, and permit yourself to feel grateful for the things going well and sorrow over the things that aren't.

Make a Gratitude List.

After acknowledging those feelings draining your sense of gratefulness, fill it back up by making a gratitude list. Everyone's list will vary, but every answer is valid. Whether you're grateful for a blooming garden, the excitement of buying a new home, or finally committing to an overdue remodeling project, listing what you are thankful for and referring to it during downtimes fills up the gratitude tank.

Lean Harder Positive Emotions.

Studies show that positive emotions undo the harm of negative ones. So when gratitude is too difficult, focus on other positive feelings, like warmth, creativity, accomplishment, compassion, and laughter. And be sure to share these positive emotions with those around you!

Gratitude comes all sizes and is found in surprising places. As for us, we're grateful to connect with you and help you with all your mortgage needs.