Building a Survival Kit to Combat Rheumatoid Arthritis

This may seem like an odd thing to consider. What does thankfulness have to do with arthritis? The truth is that most people tend to focus on what they don't have or what they cannot do. This is especially true with those battling arthritis, since certain activities that they enjoyed previously seem impossible because of pain or other symptoms. This is where thankfulness comes in. Focusing on what you do have and what you can do balances the negative with the positive, and gives you some perspective that can prevent a bleak and hopeless outlook. One common exercise that you can perform is called an anger/gratitude chart. Take a piece of paper and draw a T chart. Label one column things you are angry about, and the other things you are thankful for. The first column allows you to blow off some steam and vent your frustrations. The latter column helps balance out the anger with more positive thoughts, and give you some much needed perspective. Most people find that the latter column is bigger than the former column. Doing exercises focusing on what you are thankful for can do wonders for your mood.