We have all been victims of a cognitive distortion called “Mental Filtering.”
Cognitive distortions are thoughts that influence our emotions. They usually feed our anxiety and make us feel more miserable.
The “Mental Filtering” happens when you only focus on the negative aspects of a situation or when you overlook the positive qualities of yourself or your life.
But don't worry, everyone tends to fall into these thinking traps. So as we approach the season of thankfulness or Thanksgiving. I want to challenge you!
Challenge those thoughts that you tend to fall victim to. Instead, try using gratitude.
Gratitude is when we are grateful or when we show appreciation.
Did you know that gratitude can improve mental health outcomes? Check out these results from a study by two psychologists Dr. Robert A. Emmons from the University of California and Dr. Micheal E. McCullough from the University of Miami.
In their study, they asked all participants to write a few sentences each week, focusing on particular themes.
One group wrote about things they were grateful for that had happened during the week.
The second group wrote about daily irritations or things they had disliked.
And the third group wrote about events that had affected them (without emphasizing whether they were positive or negative).
After 10 weeks, those who wrote about gratitude were more optimistic and felt better about their lives. Surprisingly, they also exercised more and visited the doctor less than those who focused on sources of aggravation.
Surprised? Who knew how impactful gratitude can be?
So to start, Here are some gratitude exercises you can try:
- Gratitude Journal: Keep a gratitude journal in which you regularly write down the things you are grateful for. You can do it daily or weekly. It can be small things like “I'm grateful I had time to drink my coffee in the morning.” Or something bigger like: “I'm grateful they raised my salary at work.”
- Gratitude Altar: Create a small altar in your home with objects that represent things you are grateful for. They can be photos, memories or symbols.
- Thank You Letters: Write thank you letters to people who have had a positive impact on your life. It is not necessary to send them, but it can be a rewarding experience.
- Prayers or Meditations: Take time each day to pray or meditate on blessings and things you are grateful for. Prayer is not only religious, Prayer can also be defined as a sincere and general hope or wish that we can repeat to ourselves. An example would be: “Today I offer my gratitude for the love that fills my life: love shared with friends, family and that special person who walks by my side.”
- Daily Reflection Moment: Take a few minutes at the end of each day to reflect on the positive things that happened that day.
- Thank You Dinner: Host a special thank you dinner with friends or family. During dinner, each person can share something they are grateful for.
I hope these gratitude practices can help you improve your emotional well-being during this season!
