Many of us are working at home and so are our partners and spouses. Plus, students are home from school. And we all need our space. The problem is that most of us do not have homes that are set up to accommodate each of us having a place where we can have privacy and a workspace.
Many of my friends and family are understandably talking about how this situation is adding to their stress. But they are making the best of it. Some people describe how they have a morning meeting to plan out the day. Others are being creative and organizing work spaces out of basements and dining rooms. Some are rotating who has the “prime” space based on what people have scheduled for the day. In other words, they are figuring it out.
My guess is that we will be able to get through this if we manage our stress and maintain a positive perspective. If we do this, we have a good chance of coming through this crisis with stronger relationships and an appreciation for the lives we have. To help us stay positive and in a place where we are resilient and in a creative problem-solving mode, I invite you and your family to start a gratitude practice.
Gratitude is thought to be a foundational emotion because the benefits flow in multiple directions. Expressing gratitude to another often prompts the other person to express their appreciation to us, thus prompting an upward spiral of positive behavior that continues to spread from one person to another.
Living from a place of gratitude also helps individuals, groups, and organizations manage their attention, make wiser decisions, create more supportive relationships, and build resiliency (Rusk, Vella-Brodrick & Waters, 2016). It has also been linked to a number of mental and physical benefits (Bono & Sender, 2018).
Gratitude has many advantages for people of all ages. Through gratitude, people find satisfaction in life, stronger relationships, and are more resilient in times of difficulty. We hope you will find the following exercises something that you and your family can use to stay in a positive and resilient place.
References
Bono, G., & Sender, J. T. (2018). How gratitude connects humans to the best in themselves and in others. Research in Human Development, 15(3-4), 224-237.
Rusk, R. D., Vella-Brodrick, D. A., & Waters, L. (2016). Gratitude or gratefulness? A conceptual review and proposal of the system of appreciative functioning. Journal of Happiness Studies, 17(5), 2191-2212.