Finding Peace of Mind in a Politically Chaotic World

Gratitude and kindness can create universal benefits.

Reviewed by Monica Vilhauer

Key points

• Grateful people are generally happier, with more social connections and fewer bouts of depression.
• By living the gratitude that we do not necessarily feel, we can begin to feel the gratitude that we live.
• Kindness and gratitude can be a stretch in today's environment, but grateful people are happier.

We are living in a tumultuous election season. Angry rhetoric is endangering individuals and wreaking havoc in our communities. In a survey experiment of approximately 3,500 Americans, according to researchers: "Our findings suggest that increasing levels of political anger paralyze politics and harm democracy by influencing Americans’ social interactions and relationships" (Webster, et al, 2022).

Despite the findings, we are hopeful that when the campaign is over, more peace and less political stress will trickle into our lives. We are a nation in need of gratitude and kindness.

Consider aiming for kindness

A Ralph Waldo Emerson quote reminds us: “You cannot do a kindness too soon, because you never know how soon it will be too late.”

Aiming for kindness can be a stretch in today's environment. It is difficult to smile and feel grateful when we hear angry, vindictive words from politicians. Nonetheless, we can counter political anger by volunteering in ways that may lead to a positive outcome. Volunteering helps keep negative emotions at bay through interactions with others. As such, despite the politics, we can develop our own sense of peace. Embracing gratitude may also be helpful.

Foster an attitude of gratitude

NIH News in Health reports: "Taking the time to feel gratitude may improve your emotional well-being by helping you cope with stress. Early research suggests that a daily practice of gratitude could affect the body, too. . . . The first step in any gratitude practice is to reflect on the good things that have happened in your life. These can be big or little things."

When we are feeling dragged down by negativity, this is the time when Robert A. Emmons, Ph.D., professor of psychology at the University of California, Davis, would be reminding us: "Gratitude is an attitude, not a feeling that can be easily willed." Even if you are not satisfied with your life as it is today, he pointed out that "if you go through grateful motions, the emotion of gratitude should be triggered. It is like improving your posture and as a result, becoming more energetic and self-confident."

He added that attitude change often follows behavior change.

Here are his four simple suggestions that are attitude boosters: Smiling, saying thank you, sending thank-you notes, and making gratitude visits. Gratitude as an attitude sparks love.

Whenever possible, turn to nature for calm moments. Enjoy a sunset. Sit under a tree. Admire fall flowers. Listen to the birds. Nature is restorative and can help us return to a place of gratitude.

Grateful and not depressed

Grateful people are found to be generally happier, with more social connections and fewer bouts of depression. According to the National Institute of Mental Health:

• An estimated 21 million adults in the United States have had at least one major depressive episode. This number represented 8.3 percent of all U.S. adults.
• The prevalence of a major depressive episode was higher among adult females (10.3 percent) compared to males (6.2 percent).
• The prevalence of adults with a major depressive episode was highest among individuals aged 18 to 25 (18.6 percent).

Perhaps it is time to take a further look at teaching gratitude in the schools as was proposed in 2009 by Jeffrey Froh and Giacomo Bono, authors of Making Grateful Kids: The Science of Building Character. Their work "covers research on gratitude, emphasizing its potential to enhance youths' well-being, social development, and achievement.''

By 2020, with expanded research from Professor Bono, California State University, and colleagues, it was reported: "'Psychologists have proposed a modern approach to gratitude interventions in schools that addresses critical limitations and provides preliminary results of effectiveness. . . . Compared to students in waitlist/control classes, students in GI (gratitude intervention) classes demonstrated improved outcomes in trait gratitude, mental health, and personal/social wellbeing after 6 weeks."

A solid foundation in gratitude might well provide a cushion for those times when feeling grateful is a challenge. Today's political climate can be distressing. However, compassion, patience, and acts of kindness can be a source of comfort for all those struggling to find a certain peace of mind.

Copyright 2024, Rita Watson, MPH