Mental health is an essential part of our overall well-being. It affects how we feel, think, and act, and it influences our ability to handle stress, relate to others, and make important decisions. Taking care of our mental health is just as important as taking care of our physical health, and one way to do that is by practicing gratitude.
Gratitude is the act of being thankful and appreciative of the things we have in our lives, no matter how big or small. Research has shown that practicing gratitude can have a positive impact on mental health — reducing stress, anxiety, and depression, and increasing happiness and well-being (Wood et. al, 2010).
One way to practice gratitude is by creating a gratitude wall tree. This is an activity that some of our members take part in at the Club, but is also a wonderful activity to bring into your home. Use this activity to focus on the positive aspects of your life and express your gratitude in a tangible way.
Create your own gratitude wall tree
- Choose a location: Select a spot where you can create your gratitude wall tree. It could be a wall or a bulletin board, or even a piece of paper that you hang up.
- Gather your supplies: You'll need some paper, scissors, markers, and tape or pushpins. You can use any color or type of paper you like but consider using different shades of green to create a tree-like effect.
- Cut out leaves: Using paper and scissors, cut out leaf shapes. You'll want enough leaves to fill up your tree.
- Write down what you're grateful for: On each leaf, write down something that you're grateful for. It could be a person, a place, a thing, or an experience. Try to focus on the positive aspects of your life and express your gratitude in a specific way.
- Hang up your leaves: Using tape or pushpins, hang up your leaves on your gratitude wall tree. You can arrange them in a tree-like shape or scatter them randomly. As you add more leaves over time, your tree will grow and flourish.
By creating a gratitude wall tree, you'll have a physical reminder of the things you're grateful for in your life. Seeing your tree grow over time can be a powerful visual reminder of the positive aspects of your life and can help you focus on the good when things get tough.
We hope this activity helps you and your family practicing gratitude. It is a simple but powerful way to improve mental health and overall well-being.
Wood, A. M., Froh, J. J., & Geraghty, A. W. (2010). Gratitude and well-being: A review and theoretical integration. Clinical psychology review, 30(7), 890-905. doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2010.03.005