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Gratitude, the Attitude for Addiction Recovery

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Benefits of Gratitude in Alcohol Addiction Rehab and Treatment Centers

Our state of mind colours our day-to-day interactions, making them positive or negative. Gratefulness and Gratitude are states of mind which permeate all areas of our life, and have a significant impact on our well-being. Gratitude helps to foster our patience, increases the chances that we will engage in self-care, helps us sleep, and may even decrease symptoms of depression. Further, this positive outlook aids in building a happier, more fulfilling life, and importantly, promoting and sustaining sobriety. A sense of gratitude, specifically for sobriety, confers a deep sense of purpose when facing challenges in one’s recovery. This allows one to move past the challenges and temptations they face. In addition, a sense of gratitude offers a pervasive and meaningful sense of happiness in one’s life, eliminating the need to self-medicate or seek artificial highs. Therefore, the development and fortification of gratitude is an excellent tool for addiction recovery, which should be utilized in alcohol rehabs and addiction centers.

How to Fortify Your Gratitude

There are many exercises that you can practice to bolster your gratitude. Here are several easy steps to incorporate in your life to gradually boost your gratitude:

1. Write Down Three Things You Are Grateful For

Whether you wake up in the morning and write down the three things you are most grateful for that day, or it’s the last thing you do before you go to bed, make time for it. This simple list reminds you of all the things in your life to be thankful for, and can go a long way in changing your outlook. With practice, even on a day that hasn’t gone as planned, you’ll be able to identify and feel grateful for the good that has happened.

2. Remember the Bad

Without the bad, we have a less complete understanding of the good. Therefore, it’s important to never forget the difficult times you have gone through. Reflect on these experiences, and remember what you have learned from them. This is especially true when going through recovery. Remember, this is not the practice of dwelling on the bad times, but appreciating the lessons learned. This will allow you to have a deeper sense of gratitude, and more fully appreciate your sobriety.

3. Focus on the Positive

Changing the way we look at things can have a huge effect on our gratefulness. Be conscious of the way you evaluate situations, and try to focus on the positive rather than the negative. For example, while waiting for the bus, instead of focusing on the fact that the bus is late and you’re getting cold, take a moment to relax and enjoy the opportunity for people watching. This shift in perspective is an easy way to adjust to a more positive and grateful state of mind.

4. Write a Letter of Gratitude

Expressing our gratitude is the best way to foster it, as well as to share it. A great way to do this is to write a letter of gratitude to someone who has done something for you. Often, the people who make meaningful differences in our lives are unaware of the magnitude of their actions. Thank them for this in a letter, and hand deliver it to them.

5. Say Thank you!

Sharing our gratitude does not to be limited to effort-laden tasks such as writing letters, it can be as simple as saying thank you. These small changes have a huge impact on our outlook on life, and work to gradually improve our gratitude.

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Searidge Foundation

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