Micro-Moments of Gratitude

“Every day may not be good, but there’s something good in every day.” – Alice Morse Earle

‘Tis the season for thanks and giving, and Thanksgiving is the perfect time to be with family and friends and focus on our blessings. But being thankful and expressing our gratitude isn’t meant to be “seasonal.” Having an attitude of gratitude is beneficial all year ‘round.

Practicing gratitude has been proven to reduce stress, protect you from depression, help you sleep better, boost your immune system, and improve your relationships. And the Science of Thankfulness shows that by cultivating gratitude as a practice, we can rewire our brains for resilience and optimism. 

But … I get it. As caregivers, it’s hard to make gratitude a habit when we’re focused on so many other things amidst the daily acts of caregiving. Yet for me, as I’ve continued to work on building my gratitude practice, I try to focus on micro-moments of gratitude. Finding these moments is easier on some days than on others, and it often takes some reframing. But once you make it a habit to look for micro-moments of gratitude every day, it gets easier to do so.

This week, I’ve found gratitude for:

• My family, as they share in the caregiving responsibilities and offer me some respite time.

• Lifelong friends, grateful that as we celebrated one friend’s life, I was able to reconnect with old friends after almost 45 years. 

• The Love Your Brain TBI Caregiver Retreat, where I can participate and “be” in fellowship with other TBI caregivers. 

• The appreciation and affirmation from the loved ones I support – small “thank yous,” “I love yous,” and hugs.

• Our team at Courage to Caregivers – my colleagues, our board, our committees, and our volunteers. This work can offer challenges at every turn, yet they persevere and carry on as they are called to support caregivers. 

And I’m thankful for all of YOU. We set out to create a community of care for ALL caregivers. We’re like a family, and that includes YOU, our participants, volunteers, donors, stakeholders, community partners, and social media followers.

Thank you for:

• Showing up, week after week.

• Engaging with us in our programs, on social media, and by reading our weekly email.

• Doing the hard work of caring for someone else and continuing to grow along the way.

• Giving your time, talents, and treasures in support of caregivers everywhere.

We cannot do this important work without YOU.