November kicks off the holiday season with Thanksgiving, the holiday of giving thanks. But what if you are struggling to feel thankful this Thanksgiving? You aren’t alone. If you are experiencing symptoms of sadness, anxiety, or depression it can be difficult to practice gratitude or feel “thankful”. Therapy can help.

How Can You Express Gratitude During a Difficult Time?

It can be easier to express gratitude when things are going well, or you are feeling well. Being grateful can mean showing appreciation, acknowledging the positive and feeling glad to be where you are in life. Gratitude can bring about many positive things, such as good health, sound sleep, strong relationships, healthier emotions, and memorable experiences.

But, what about when life goes sideways and you’re wrapped with negative emotions? This is not an uncommon question, it can leave you feeling stuck and not knowing where to turn. While you are not alone, these feelings can be incredibly isolating. How can you actually feel grateful when you’re feeling demoralized, broken, and/or depressed? It’s hard to feel good about your situation if you are experiencing loss or aren’t where you’d like to be in life.

Feeling Grateful versus Practicing Gratitude

It can be difficult to control your feelings, however, you can change how you speak to yourself. How we think has a huge impact on how we feel. This is where practicing gratitude comes in. You may not feel grateful but you can identify small aspects of your life or situation that you are thankful for.

For example, if you’ve lost someone close to you. While this is painful, you can be grateful for the experiences you had with your loved one. This does NOT minimize your sadness or mean you don’t have a right to feel your loss. It does however allow you to identify gratitude in your sadness.

Celebrate a Meaningful Thanksgiving This Year

If you are struggling to find something to be thankful for this holiday season, let Carolina Counseling Services – Fuquay-Varina, NC help. The independently contracted counselors offer the most appropriate therapeutic approach to help you practice gratitude not only on Thanksgiving Day, but every day. Call today to schedule your first appointment.