7 Ways That Gratitude Helps With the Job Search Process

I work with many young adults, and several are applying for jobs and graduate school. It can feel exhausting, especially with “rejections,” or no response at all. It’s hard to keep going, but that’s exactly what you need to do! A gratitude practice helps. Here are seven ways how a gratitude practice helps:

1. Practicing gratitude elevates mood and has a positive impact on mental health. When you think about what you’re grateful for, dopamine and serotonin are released in your brain, causing you to feel good. This reduces physiological and emotional stress.
2. Thinking about what you’re grateful for helps you to shift perspective. This has a subtle, yet powerful influence on verbal (written and oral) and non-verbal presentation. You are more likely to present yourself in a positive light. Positivity and optimism are attractive qualities, including to potential employers.
3. “A daily gratitude practice changes the way you see your life and the world. The world doesn’t change, but the way you see the world changes. And that makes all the difference in the world.” Dr. Peggy DeLong A daily gratitude practice helps to cultivate positive thinking to develop a positive mindset. This is so helpful in applying to jobs, including jobs that you think you are not qualified for.
4. Practicing gratitude builds resilience. Gratitude thoughts prevent worry thoughts from spiraling out of control.  This is important in dealing with “rejection.” Yes, rejection hurts. It helps to take the sting out when you believe that rejection is redirection on a better path, or protection from what is not the best for you.
5. Research demonstrates that practicing gratitude fosters hope (helps to train the brain to look for the “silver lining” in the midst of difficulty and to highlight our blessings) and peace (reduces stress and anxiety, relaxes muscles).
6. The specific gratitude practice of expressing appreciation for someone every day (exercise #3 in The Grateful Day) elevates your mood and improves your mental health, makes the recipient feel good, and helps them to keep you top of mind.
7. Don’t forget gratitude for yourself! This enhances your self-worth. Reflect upon past accomplishments. If you don’t have one already, start a “positivity” file. Write about your accomplishments, positive attributes, successes, compliments from others, proud moments, etc. Not only does writing about this generate positivity and elevate mood in the moment, it is wonderful to read when you feel like things aren’t going your way, and you need a boost in mood. You can use the acronym A.W.E.S.O.M.E. to help you generate positive ideas about yourself. (Achievement, Wisdom, Excellence, Strength, Optimism, Motivation, Empathy).

Remember, a gratitude practice is never meant to be used at the expense of ignoring your emotional pain. First allow yourself to feel. You cannot heal what you don’t feel. Then you can use a gratitude practice to elevate mood and engage in your tasks of the day.