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Finding the Small, Steady Things That Carry You Through

Thanksgiving often comes with a familiar image — full tables, warm laughter, family gatherings, and moments of connection. But what we often don’t talk about is that this season can also bring up pressure, grief, stress, loneliness, or emotional exhaustion.

For many, gratitude may feel complicated — especially when life has been heavy. And the idea of “being thankful” can sometimes feel like one more expectation to meet.

Here’s the truth we want to emphasize at PsycHealth Services:

💛 Gratitude isn’t about pretending everything is okay.

It isn’t about toxic positivity or minimizing what you’re going through.
It’s not about comparing your struggles to someone else’s.

Gratitude is a practice of noticing — not erasing.
It’s the gentle act of paying attention to the small, steady things that help you get through each day, even when life feels overwhelming.

Gratitude During Hard Times: A Different Kind of Strength

Gratitude is often misunderstood. People sometimes assume it means ignoring pain or acting as though things aren’t difficult. In reality, gratitude is a form of emotional balance — a way to hold both truth and tenderness at the same time.

You can feel:

  • grateful and tired
  • grateful and anxious
  • grateful and grieving
  • grateful and overwhelmed

These emotions can coexist — and acknowledging that is a form of emotional maturity.

When gratitude is practiced in the midst of challenge, it becomes a form of resilience. Not because it fixes everything, but because it gives the mind something to hold onto — something stable, comforting, grounding.

📊 According to a 2022 survey by Mental Health America, individuals who practiced small moments of gratitude during stressful periods were 22% more likely to report feeling emotionally supported, grounded, and better able to cope.

This matters — because it shows that gratitude isn’t about pretending life is easy. It’s about finding the tiny points of light that make hard moments a little more bearable.

The Science Behind Gratitude

Research in neuroscience and positive psychology shows that gratitude has real, measurable effects on mental and emotional well-being.

A study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology found that people who practice gratitude regularly experience up to a 20% reduction in depressive symptoms, even when facing ongoing life stressors.

Other research shows that gratitude:

  • Activates the brain’s reward pathways
  • Increases serotonin and dopamine
  • Lowers cortisol (the stress hormone)
  • Enhances emotional regulation
  • Strengthens resilience and optimism
  • Improves sleep and physiological relaxation

These are not small benefits — they are powerful tools that help the brain adapt to stress and cultivate healthier patterns over time.

The Small Things That Carry Us Through

During difficult seasons, gratitude rarely comes from big, dramatic moments. Instead, it’s found in quiet details — the little anchors that bring steadiness amid chaos.

Gratitude might look like:

💛 A warm drink that calms your nervous system
💛 A five-minute walk where your mind finally pauses
💛 A message from someone who cares
💛 A moment of laughter, even if small
💛 A comfortable place to sit or rest
💛 Your pet curling up beside you
💛 A deep breath that slows your heart rate
💛 The strength you showed by simply getting up today

These moments do not fix everything — but they help you keep going.
And sometimes, that is enough.

A Thanksgiving Reflection

This Thanksgiving, instead of forcing yourself to “feel grateful,” try asking a gentler question:

👉 What is one small thing helping me get through today?

It might be simple. It might be quiet. It might be ordinary.
But it matters — because you matter.

You deserve compassion not only from others, but from yourself.

Gratitude as a Grounding Practice

The grounding power of gratitude comes from its ability to shift the mind from overwhelm to awareness.

Instead of spiraling into:

  • “Everything is going wrong.”

Gratitude helps you see:

  • “There is still something that’s helping me through this.”

This doesn’t erase pain — but it creates space around it.
And in that space, the nervous system can soften and stabilize.

How PsycHealth Services Can Help

Holidays can amplify emotions — both the joyful ones and the difficult ones.
Whether you’re dealing with stress, grief, family tension, or emotional overwhelm, PsycHealth Services is here to help.

Our therapists offer a grounded, supportive approach that includes:

  • Compassionate space to explore your feelings without judgment
  • Tools to manage holiday-induced stress and anxiety
  • Guidance on practicing realistic gratitude, not forced positivity
  • Support for navigating family dynamics and setting boundaries
  • Evidence-based strategies for emotional regulation and resilience
  • Help integrating mindfulness, gratitude, and coping skills into daily life

You don’t have to carry everything alone.

We’re here to walk alongside you — through the calm, through the chaos, and through every season in between.

🌿 We offer both in-person and virtual sessions to meet you wherever you are — because mental wellness should always be accessible.

📞 Call us at 708-990-8221 or visit psychealthinc.com to learn more about our counseling services.

🗓️ Flexible scheduling
📍 In-person therapy in Oak Brook
💻 Secure virtual sessions across Illinois
✅ Insurance accepted: Aetna, BCBS, Cigna, Humana, Magellan, Optum, Tricare, United Healthcare, and more.*

Your peace of mind matters. You deserve to feel in control, grounded, and supported — no matter what’s happening in the world.

This Thanksgiving, give yourself permission to be exactly where you are.
Let gratitude be something soft, gentle, and honest — not something pressured or forced.

And remember:
Gratitude isn’t about ignoring hard times —
it’s about recognizing the small, steady things that carry you through them.

💙

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