This free, 10-second tool that can help calm your ADHD brain, reduce stress, support sleep, improve mood, and build emotional resilience. We’re talking about gratitude practice for ADHD brains but not the unrealistic, perfectionistic version you may have heard about!
Why Gratitude Can Be Tricky
If you’ve ever tried to “be more grateful” and immediately felt pressure, guilt, or frustration, you’re not alone.
The benefits of practicing gratitude like better mood, improved sleep, and overall nervous system regulation are real, but traditional approaches can present barriers for those with ADHD.
Our human brains are wired for survival- that means we're more likely to be scanning for danger and problems, not savoring what’s going well.
That's true for all of us, but with ADHD, we're managing additional obstacles:
- Hyper-vigilance due to life experiences means we're trying to catch our mistakes and/or monitor how we're perceived by others.
- Rigidity/ Perfectionism: This "all or nothing" approach to practicing gratitude often results in...nothing.
- Memory: We may love the idea of practicing gratitude, but it's hard to keep this in the front of our minds day to day.
The good news? Gratitude can look completely different, and still be effective for ADHD brains!
Gratitude Present Tense: The Power of Savoring
Instead of trying to remember to journal at night, try noticing something you enjoy in the moment and stretch the experience by a few seconds.
- A warm cup of coffee.
- The way sunlight warms your skin when you sit outside.
- Your dog’s ears.
Savoring is simple. It's paying attention to why you like something while you’re experiencing it and trying to stretch that moment out a bit.
It’s mindfulness meets gratitude and it’s a great fit for ADHD brains because you’re doing it right now, not later.
Try Verbal Gratitude
Are you someone who needs to say things out loud in order to process? Me, too. Many people with ADHD are verbal processors.
If writing lists has too much friction for you, skip it! Say it out loud instead.
- Record a voice memo
- Share with a friend
- Tell your pet.
If you're someone who prefers to process things verbally, hearing yourself verbalize your gratitude can help reinforce the practice.
Use External Reminders
If remembering is what's hard, take the burden off your brain. External cues turn “I hope I remember” into “This is likely to happen.” Use sticky notes, alarms, or make it playful by creating a challenge with a friend!
Gratitude for Sleep
I've found that one surprisingly effective way to use gratitude is at bedtime.When my brain is busy and not ready to "down shift", mentally listing simple things I'm grateful for helps bring my nervous system down just enough for sleep.
My theory is that this gives my brain enough stimulation to stay engaged without getting too engaged and elevating my nervous system with plans or worries.
Try a Ta-Da List
This is one of my favorites and something I frequently ask my clients to try. A Ta-Da List is a list of what you actually got done, not a "To Do" List (which usually shifts your focus to what you didn’t do).
It’s gratitude for your own effort, productivity, and choices. It can build confidence, reduce shame, and help you recognize where your time went. I think it’s one of the most ADHD-friendly gratitude practices that you can include in your day!
Final Thoughts
You don’t have to feel grateful for gratitude to help you. This is a thought practice, not an emotional state. Over time, your feelings catch up to the thoughts you rehearse.
The key is to try gratitude in ways that work with your brain, not against it. Savor it, speak it, externalize it, practice it at bedtime, or celebrate your Ta-Da List. Small moments count!
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