Why Gratitude is Important When You Have ADHD…Plus Easy ADHD Gratitude Practices
I was diagnosed with Triple Her2+ breast cancer on October 12, 2021. I went through 6 rounds of the hardest chemo regime they give to breast cancer patients along with a mastectomy and multiple other infusions and surgeries.
As a mom with younger kids in her early 40s, you can imagine this was a stressful time…
Actually, I’m not sure that stressful begins to describe what we went through.
And you may be thinking…wait, Christy, I thought this episode was about gratitude.
It is.
I wanted to share this part of my story to help you understand that when I talk about the importance and impacts of gratitude, I’m not just someone trying to blow sunshine where the sun don’t shine. I truly believe that gratitude was key for my positive outcome and outlook while enduring this difficult time.
So since it is Thanksgiving week here in the United States and you may have gratitude on your mind, lets dive into the benefits of a gratitude practice for us ADHDers beyond the Thanksgiving table along with some super simple ways you can practice and express gratitude on a regular basis.
My Personal Gratitude Practice Journey
I actually started my regular gratitude practice long before my cancer diagnosis. It came out of a money mindset class I was taking and our study of abundance versus scarcity mindsets.
We were encouraged to start a gratitude practice in order to start shifting from focusing on what we didn’t have or what was missing in our lives to focusing what we did have in order to move past or process feelings of jealousy or victimhood that may be holding us back.
I downloaded the Five Minute Journal app nearly 6 years ago and have used it nearly every day since. And for someone with ADHD, it’s gotta be something really good to stay that consistent for that long.
Gratitude Practice Benefits for ADHD
We can’t possibly have a discussion about something that benefits those of us with ADHD without mentioning dopamine.
When you express gratitude or receive an expression of gratitude from someone else, your limbic system, which controls behavioral and emotional responses, is stimulated which releases, you guessed it…dopamine.
And the really amazing thing that happens when you regularly practice gratitude is that these neural pathways get stronger the more you practice. Which in turn can lead to you guessed it again…more dopamine AND improved executive functions like memory, planning, and decision making.
And it isn’t just dopamine that your gratitude practice boosts…you also experience a bump in serotonin, which, among other things, is the neurotransmitter that helps you regulate your mood. Meaning a regular gratitude practice could also help improve the depression, anxiety, anger, and low self-esteem that many of us ADHDers struggle with.
Learning to reframe and refocus our negative thoughts through gratitude can also help those of us that struggle with Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria. If you’re unfamiliar with the term Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria or RSD, in a nutshell, us ADHDers tend to feel rejection, failure, or criticism on much deeper level than those neurotypicals around us. But regular recognition of gratitude builds those positive neural pathways that help us focus on our abundance rather than our failures. You’re training yourself to focus on the solution rather than the problem.
In addition to building positive neural pathways and boosting dopamine and serotonin, studies have also noted those who practice gratitude regularly have lower levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, and also experience better sleep quality.
Now some these benefits, like building stronger neural pathways or reduction in stress hormones, may take a little time. It’s not like waking up tomorrow and writing 3 things we are grateful for are suddenly going to transform our entire life. And I realize that long slogs aren’t exactly what someone with ADHD wants to hear about. We usually prefer quick answers and solutions, but...
ADHD-Friendly Gratitude Practices
I also recognize the appeal of a natural, low cost remedy that can improve your ADHD life and brain.
So let’s wrap up by sharing simple ways you can start to practice and express gratitude on a regular basis so you can start to experience these benefits. I’ve divided my suggestions into 3 different categories…What to do for a personal gratitude practice, How to express your gratitude towards someone else, and what I’m calling “Gracious Actions” or ways you can express gratitude in the moment. First up, let’s talk personal gratitude practice options.
Gratitude Practices for Yourself
The great thing about starting a gratitude practice for yourself is that you probably already have everything you would need on hand. You don’t need any fancy books or devices.
You really only need a pen and paper, and honestly, you don’t even NEED to write it down.
You could simply speak what you’re thankful for into the universe.
But if you’re into the idea of something tangible you can revisit and reflect on, you could start a gratitude journal using any old notebook or notpad you’ve got lying around.
You could download a gratitude app like the one I use called the 5 minute Journal (Click to get the Android App, iPhone App, or journal).
If visuals are more your thing, you could make a gratitude vision board or collage by cutting out or printing pictures of what you’re grateful for. Or create a digital version where you grab photos and add on your computer, phone or tablet.
You could also create a gratitude jar by writing what you’re grateful for on a slip of paper and adding it to the jar. I did this with my boys a few years back. We started at the beginning of the year and then reviewed everything they added on the following New Year’s Eve.
Remember, there is no right or wrong to what you’re thankful for. I’ve written toilet paper, heat, and fingernail polish in my practice in recent weeks. But if you’re struggling with where to start, here are some ideas of things you can put in or on your journal, app, vision board or jar…
List of things you are grateful for
List of people you are grateful for
List of opportunities you are grateful for
List of experiences you are grateful for
Ways to Express Your Gratitude to Someone Else
When I was going through my cancer treatment, one of my favorite activities was writing thank you notes to those in my community who brought us food, helped with the kids, or sat with me while I was recovering after my chemo sessions. Even though I was told over and over that it wasn’t necessary, I told them my reason for writing them was selfish. Because it forced me to realize how abundant my life was in spite of current difficulties.
Here are some easy ways you can express your gratitude to others:
Write someone a thank you note
Tell someone you appreciate something they do regularly
Tell someone you are grateful for them
Recognize someone’s effort
Thank those that help you (service industry, doctors, nurses, etc)
Write a positive review/leave a positive comment
Gracious Actions: Ways to Practice Gratitude in the Moment
And finally, recognizing your abundance in the moment can be a great way to help strengthen those neural pathways outside your regular gratitude practice.
This idea was presented to me as part of a gratitude challenge in a coaching group I was part of. The coach encouraged us to find gratitude in moments where we were frustrated. Like when we hit a red light when we were already running late. Instead of thinking “Stupid red light! Now I’m going to be even more late”, you might reframe as “I am grateful I have a car to drive even when I show up late” or “I am grateful that stoplights help to keep drivers safe.”
I’m not saying it’s going to be easy…but you will definitely feel a benefit.
These are ways you can practice gratitude in the moment:
Reframe and find gratitude in a difficult circumstance
Pause and recognize something you’re grateful for in your environment
Give thanks before a meal
Volunteer or give back to your community
Review and recognize the positives from your day before you go to bed
It may be hard to believe something so simple could make such an impact on your mental health but I’m living proof. And there’s a ton of scientific research to back up the benefits of a gratitude practice.
If you’re still struggling with finding what you’re grateful for or staying consistent with your gratitude practice (or any practice, really), I would love to support you.
Click the button below to schedule your free, no-obligation call with me to discuss your goals, your challenges, and what success looks like for you. And we’ll see how I can help you get there!
