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When you have an eating disorder, Thanksgiving can be an ominous holiday. It seems like everyone around you is reveling in the opportunity to stuff themselves while you, instead, are filled with anxiety about the day. How can you take some of the focus off of the food on a holiday that many are now calling “turkey day”? One idea is to use this as an opportunity to practice gratitude.
Gratitude actually benefits us in a variety of ways, including:
- Helping us connect more mindfully to the present moment;
- Boosting the immune system;
- Decreasing stress; and
- Helping us cope with loss.
What are you grateful for? Try taking a moment and thinking about one thing you would miss if it was gone from your life. What do you notice when you focus on this loss? Perhaps you feel a sinking pit-in-the-stomach sensation, or you become aware of a feeling of sadness or anxiety. Now, let yourself think about how grateful you are to have this thing in your life. Notice the difference in what you are feeling.
January 1st is the day that many people make resolutions for the coming year. How would it be to mark Thanksgiving as the day when you start practicing an attitude of gratitude? Pick a time of the day that is consistently more difficult for you and set aside five minutes to write down three things that you are grateful for on a piece of paper.
When you run out of things that you are grateful for, try picking three problems in your life and think about how these things might actually be beneficial. Put these thoughts next to each other and notice what happens when you read each thought out loud. For example:
[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_2″ layout=”1_2″ spacing=”” center_content=”no” hover_type=”none” link=”” min_height=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_position=”left top” background_repeat=”no-repeat” border_size=”0″ border_color=”” border_style=”solid” border_position=”all” padding=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=”” last=”no”][fusion_text]Problem thought
“My job is so stressful. I hate being here.”
“My bike got a flat tire. Walking is so slow.”[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_2″ layout=”1_2″ spacing=”” center_content=”no” hover_type=”none” link=”” min_height=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_position=”left top” background_repeat=”no-repeat” border_size=”0″ border_color=”” border_style=”solid” border_position=”all” padding=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_offset=”” last=”no”][fusion_text]Grateful thought
“I’m so grateful that I have a job.”
“Walking will allow me to appreciate more of my surroundings.”[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ layout=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” border_position=”all” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” center_content=”no” last=”no” min_height=”” hover_type=”none” link=””][fusion_text]
What did you notice when you read each thought? You might have thought, “This is silly. I can’t really focus on those grateful thoughts.” That’s okay. Practicing gratitude might not come naturally for some time. However, did you stop thinking about turkey for a minute?
– Alayna Orozco M.A., LMHC
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