By Josh Mitchell
Corinth Today News Editor
A lack of empathy is one reason some people have trouble being thankful, a licensed professional counselor told me in an interview Monday morning.
Some people can’t feel thankful for what they have because they don’t care about themselves or other people, said William Grall, who is a licensed mental health counselor in Mississippi and Alabama.
Thankfulness comes when a person can understand another person’s situation, Grall noted. But people get caught up in themselves and don’t realize what it is like in another person’s shoes, he said.
Different people have been through different things in life, and people need to step outside of themselves to feel gratitude, Grall said.
Being thankful can be a struggle for some people this time of year when advertising inundates society with messages of “Be Thankful” and “Have a Blessed Day.”
A person could have all of the material possessions in the world, but bitterness and a lack of thankfulness can result if personal relationships suffer, Grall added.
People who struggle with feeling grateful can ask themselves what need or “longing” is not being met and then create a means to satisfy the need, he said.
Sometimes thankfulness can be elusive when people compare themselves to others, which can cause “jealousy and envy,” Grall noted.
Even people who have a great home, job and family can struggle with being thankful and battle anxiety and depression. As a mental health counselor, Grall tries to be empathetic and get people to change their perspective on life.
“Thankfulness is all about perspective,” including where people place their focus in life, he said.
“Gratitude journaling” is a way to change one’s focus from the negative to the positive, said Grall. This involves writing down all the great things a person has in his or her life. Another idea is to talk to other people to see what gives them a positive frame of mind.
There is often a stigma around counseling when in fact many people just need some support and someone to listen, said William’s wife, Tara, who is also an LPC. People need empathy, compassion and hope, and having a “clear mind,” is something to be grateful for, she said.
Some people struggle with feeling grateful because they focus on their problems. Others have had a string of bad things happen to them in life, which leads to sorrow, grief and lack of hope.
But those who struggle with negative thinking can find a way out, said Tara. She noted that gratefulness is something people should focus on year round. After all, she said, if spouses were only loving on Valentine’s Day people would not have the best marriages.
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