How has doing this changed your life for the better?

When I experienced narcissistic abuse, it was one of the most horrific, traumatising things I have been through in my life. Anyone who has experienced this knows it is quite the emotional rollercoaster: there is shock, confusion, anger, sadness, fear… it’s difficult to make sense of what has happened. It’s one of the most psychologically abusive things someone can go through. The shock and trauma of narcissistic abuse can leave you feeling quite stuck.

I found trying to foster an attitude of gratitude helped me shift through this and supported my healing and recovery. As strange as it might sound, thinking about what there is to be grateful for from such an awful experience really helps. And it helped me move forward. It wasn’t easy to start with, but I kept trying to think about what I could be grateful for. To begin with, I could be grateful it had ended. I could be grateful that I realised what I had been through and found there was a name for this. I was grateful I knew there was a way out and a roadmap to recovery. I’m grateful to have learned so much from this and for having been propelled by the personal growth that came as a consequence. I’m grateful to have worked on understanding healthy boundaries and communication – my relationships have only improved as a result. I’m infinitely grateful to have had my experience and to be able to help and support many other people in their journey.

The practice of gratitude is powerful and once you get started it can take on a force of its own. I suggest everyone should give it a try and write a gratitude list every day for a month and see how you find it.

One Good Thing: why a psychologist says everyone should cultivate an attitude of gratitude