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PROVO — As we reign in 2016 we tend to look forward to what's ahead while making goals and resolutions to better ourselves.
We sat down with Jason Conover, a licensed clinical social worker and an outpatient therapist at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center who said "the practice of gratitude and the art of gratitude is to see the good even within a potentially negative situation."
In this state of mind, a person experiences a higher degree of appreciation, seeing the positive and good that surrounds us every day.
Conover adds "it also produces a really nice collection of things that we can go back and review if things get a little cloudy or discouraging."
When we practice gratitude we begin to feel peace and balance in our lives in their current state as opposed to the never-ending pursuit of happiness. This simple change of perception can improve our physical and mental well-being, as well as have a ripple effect on those around us.
This simple practice can increase patience, decrease stress and improve relationships. Conover says a great way to begin practicing gratitude is to "acknowledge the bad, the hard, the difficult (and) the unfortunate, and be aware that our boats can get rocked … and we can get swallowed up in the storm."
Realize that change doesn't happen overnight.
"We can set a New Year's resolution to be more grateful, but we're gonna need to practice some ways to keep working at it. It could be practiced in prayer, it could be practiced in writing, it could be practiced in communicating that with a loved one," Conover says.
He says people should take a few moments each day to really delve into their lives and recognize the beauty, while celebrating the small accomplishments and exciting moments. Conover says with an attitude of gratitude life becomes vivid and alive. "Even colors can begin to look different," he said. "Food can actually taste different."
A genuine form of appreciation Conover says is "a suggestion out of love as a way to live the very best we can as human beings." Jenniffer is a Special Projects Producer who heads up the Your Life Your Health, Zero Fatalities and High 5 initiatives. For questions, feedback or possible story ideas, please email jmichaelson@ksl.com.
