Happiness and Joy During Turbulent Times: Dr Cristie Ritz-King On How To Live With Joie De Vivre, Even When It Feels Like The Whole World Is Pulling You Down

Gratitude. My mom taught me this. Long before Oprah’s gratitude list turned into shelves of journals and then daily list phone apps, my little old mom was reminding me on a daily basis about all we had, not all that we had lost. It may seem overdone, the idea of being grateful. It may seem too simple; oh sure just be grateful and all the world’s your oyster. I know, it isn’t simple, or even easy some days, but the truth is, having a sense of gratitude for what you have is the most surefire way to feel happy. If you are thankful, how can you help but feel joy?

It sometimes feels like it is so hard to avoid feeling down or depressed these days. Between the sad news coming from world headlines, the impact of the ongoing raging pandemic, and the constant negative messages popping up on social and traditional media…