Tag Archive for: grateful

I think we all have an idea of what gratitude is, but we often only practice being grateful in moments of rescue (where someone saves us from a problem) or in times like the holiday, Thanksgiving.

What is interesting (and how it applies to us in-home care) is that the practice of being grateful has been proven to elevate mood, battle depression, and even promote better health.

As home health, hospice, and in-home care workers know, there is a physical and emotional toll that this career requires.

Sometimes its saying goodbye, sometimes it’s dealing with difficult patients, and sometimes it’s just plain hard to do the work! Staying positive can be very hard.

Gratitude is more than an “emotion.” It’s also a mood. The reason that is so important is that there are moments of gratitude and a lifestyle of gratitude. The moments provide a temporary boost, but the lifestyle has been proven to improve the overall well being of people who have practiced a regiment of daily gratitude.

This practice creates a positivity that you will bring with you to work, family life, and extracurricular activities. Also, a significant component of gratitude is that it makes us recognize that forces outside our control contribute to our lives’ goodness. This makes you forgive and offer praise quicker and easier. It helps to eliminate culture-killing negativity and, over time, will draw positive people into your life.

In light of all the challenges going on in our world today and the overwhelm you may be feeling, I challenge you to take a few minutes to write down what you are thankful for and give thanks for those amazing blessings in your life. After all, people in your life have made parts of it better. Having a positive impact on your patients, clients, residents, and referral sources have brought joy to others and yourself.

In one of my darkest moments, a good friend once told me,

“The night is always darkest before the dawn”

(which I know is a slightly modified quote from Thomas Fuller). I have steadily gotten back my footing and learned to be grateful. It changed everything for me, and I believe it can for you too.

This pandemic, politics, the state of our country, and regulatory changes can tank your mood or put you through an emotional rollercoaster. That is entirely understandable, but we have people counting on us.

So this week, write it down and consider what you are thankful for. Thank a person in your life who deserves it. Provide a note, gift, card, or any other form of positive outreach to a person in your life telling them what you appreciate about them.

These small acts of gratitude can unlock a title wave of joy in your life and the lives of those you contact each day.