Sometimes as caregivers, we forget that we have anything to be happy about. Every morning we wake up to face overwhelming to-do lists, scary medical news, and possible end-of-life moments. But we’re waking up, and that’s something to be thankful for!

Research shows that taking the time to acknowledge what we are thankful for can help us put difficult situations into perspective, reduce our stress and make us happier, and what working daughter doesn’t need that?

Developing a gratitude practice may sound trendy or irrelevant given all that you do and face balancing eldercare and career and kids and life, but I urge you to give it a try. Why not? The data says it helps and it is easy to implement.

Over at the Working Daughter Facebook group, we dedicate every Thursday to sharing what’s good. Because no matter how challenging life gets, there is always something good (see above about the fact that you woke up today and are still breathing). Whether it’s something simple like a hot, strong cup of coffee, or something significant like your health, it counts.

So why not focus on what’s good? Tell us in the comments, tell yourself (set a timer for 1 minute and list all of the good things you can think of), or tell your family and friends over some turkey and pie. And then do it again next Thursday and again and again (but maybe skip the pie…)

You know what’s good at Working Daughter?

• a strong, supportive network of women, and a few good men, who lift each other up
• increased awareness of the challenges working daughters face and the support we need thanks to platforms like this and this and this
• that Governor Charlie Baker signed the CARE Act in Massachusetts and so far 30 states have adopted this law that recognizes the critical role family caregivers play

That’s some really good stuff!

You might also like:

https://jessicab40.sg-host.com/the-obligatory-what-im-thankful-for-post/

https://jessicab40.sg-host.com/gratitude-hack-give-thanks/

https://jessicab40.sg-host.com/find-your-b-side/