Gratitude is THAT GIRL

When I was at the height of my depression, my nervous system was completely whacked out.

I was taking medication, confiding in my family and friends, and seeking therapy. Still, I was struggling and needing something more to cure this remarkable sadness.

As we know, depression can be all encompassing, consuming the mind and often robbing the happiness in day to day living.

I truly see depression as the absence of hope with a plethora of insatiable sadness. (Sounds pretty crummy, huh?) This was me.

During this period, I had been seeing a lot on social media about habit stacking. I had recently started cold therapy in the form of morning cold plunges.  I decided I wanted to habit stack more.

I developed a personal resolve to start with audibly saying gratitudes aloud after each morning cold therapy session.

BESTIE. The results were astonishing.

The power of saying my gratitudes aloud to the world, to the universe, even to the little birds singing in the yard, lead to an incredibly unexpected amount of happiness. And the magic of it all, it wasn't fleeting. It was encompassing.

I was soon learning what I had been told all throughout my life: expressing gratitude is an incredible antidote for an unhappy state of mind.

It is important to note, gratitude alone does not at all replace the need for professional care. Gratitude is a tool in our mental health tool box that adds to the combined efforts of medication, social connections, cold therapy, and talk therapy.

With that being said, this key ingredient of gratitude in the recipe of mental health betterment, should never be underestimated in its ability to make the difference from feeling okay to feeling even better.

I want you to start expressing gratitude daily.

This does not have to be anything special.

It can be as simple as saying 5-10 things you are grateful today. 

I often say the same gratitudes over and over again, because of my gratitude toward those gifts in my life. I often include my gratitude for the blue skies, the ability to see, the family relationships in my life, the miracle of life, and anything else I feel especially grateful for that day.

Don't be afraid to get creative with your gratitudes. I have even said gratitudes as simple as a Diet Coke or a memorable date with a cute guy.

The bottom line: gratitude is a MUST in the mental health toolbox.

After you try it for a couple weeks, report back by commenting below or sending me a DM on social. I can't wait to hear about your experience.

As always, I am rooting for your happiness and success.

X, Madisen