by Meredith Stutts, LICSW
Have you ever had what my mom calls “the mulligrubs,” that feeling of being down for no clear reason? That was me the other week. Maybe it was the weather or the looming time change, but I just didn’t feel like myself. My day started with picking up a few clients for our CARES program. The van was quiet, and I could tell one of our riders had the mulligrubs too. The whole morning felt heavy.
Then something unexpected happened. One of our quieter clients, someone who rarely speaks up, suddenly said, “Today is hard and it might not be the best, but because of where I’ve been, I choose to be thankful and look at what is good, like spending time with new friends.” She didn’t know it, but she stopped me in my tracks. It reminded me that perspective is a choice. Even on a rough day, I can decide to look for something good, even something small.
That moment stayed with me long after we arrived at CARES. I watched the group settle in, sharing smiles and stories, and I realized how often our clients model the resilience many of us forget to practice. Gratitude is not pretending everything is fine. It is noticing what is still steady, kind, or hopeful in the middle of whatever else is going on.
As we get closer to Thanksgiving, it helps to practice that kind of gratitude and pay attention to what is going right each day. It can be as simple as jotting down one positive thing: lunch was good, I talked to a friend, I managed to get up and moving today. Times might still be hard, and we all get bogged down, but remembering that there is something to be thankful for every day can help us shake off the mulligrubs, even if only for a little while.
If you’re finding the “mulligrubs” harder to shake, talking with a professional can help. Reach out to our CJFS counseling team to get connected with support that meets you where you are. We accept Medicare and most insurance plans and offer a sliding scale for private pay clients, ensuring that access is available to everyone.
Call 205.879.3438 to learn more.
