According to InHerSight research, almost 90 percent of women experience the Sunday Scaries—that creeping anxiety that sets in before the start of the workweek. Though seemingly impossible to shake, there’s one simple way to ease the Scaries: gratitude.
Gratitude isn’t simply a feel-good practice, it’s a research-backed, neurological tool that shifts the brain’s default mode from one of fear and stress to one of positivity and resilience. By making gratitude a habit, you can actively rewire your brain to experience more joy, less anxiety, and better emotional balance, helping you combat stressors like the Sunday Scaries with a lighter mindset.
Here’s how focusing on what’s going well—both at work and in life—can shift your end-of-week outlook from dread to empowerment.
Read more: 7 Ways Women Cope with the Sunday Scaries (& How to Make Each Your Own)
Why do you feel anxious on Sundays?
The Sunday Scaries are largely driven by anticipatory anxiety, that knot you feel in your stomach when you start to worry about future events. As Sunday evening approaches, you might start spiraling about your mile-long to-do list, looming deadlines, overflowing inbox, and meeting-heavy week, triggering a stress response before the week even begins.
If you don’t like your job—say you have a difficult manager or feel entirely unfulfilled in your work—Sundays can trigger a sense of fear and hopelessness about returning to an environment that’s hampering your happiness. Even if you do like your job, the Sunday Scaries can arise from the mental shift from leisure to productivity and the sudden loss of autonomy. Weekends offer freedom and control over how you spend your time, and the thought of returning to a structured workweek, where your schedule is dictated by meetings, mundane tasks, and deadlines, can leave you feeling restricted.
How does gratitude help keep the Scaries at bay?
Gratitude practices offer a simple and powerful way to reframe overwhelming and anxious thoughts. By viewing Sunday as a time for reflection, relaxation, and small joys, rather than just a countdown to Monday, you can help ease that tightness you feel in your chest.
Fear and anxiety often stem from a sense of scarcity—worrying about what’s missing, what could go wrong, and what’s beyond our control. Gratitude, on the other hand, activates the brain’s reward system, reinforcing a sense of abundance and security. When you’re actively grateful, you might feel more in control and capable of handling life’s challenges.
Practicing gratitude can train your brain to reframe negative experiences and recover from stress more quickly. “We often work on a deficit model,” says Rachel Ritchie, associate teaching professor of psychology at Florida International University (FIU). “We try to find what’s wrong and fix it. We don’t stop to think about what’s right.”
She says the heavier focus on upcoming challenges delays joy completely until we think we’ve achieved the right goals. “It’s a treadmill effect. Trying to get to the next hurdle in life. We’ll sometimes tell ourselves, ‘I’ll be happy after I graduate,’ or ‘I’ll be happy after I get a job or a new car’ and so on. We don’t focus on what gives us joy right now. And that’s what gratitude is about. Appreciating what we have.”
Studies show that gratitude reduces cortisol (the stress hormone), which can help lessen the physical and emotional effects of anxiety—like racing thoughts, tension, or restlessness. MRI studies have even shown that people who practice gratitude regularly have more gray matter in the brain regions linked to positive emotions and social bonding. This means over time, gratitude doesn’t just make you feel good in the moment—it creates a more optimistic, less fear-driven outlook on life.
6 strategies for overcoming the Sunday Scaries through gratitude
1. Reinforce your strengths through positive self-think
You’ve most likely heard of positive self-talk, the practice of speaking to yourself in an encouraging, kind, and supportive way, but you might only associate it with affirmations. While positive affirmations are great, they can sometimes feel unrealistic or detached from reality.
“I’ve found that positive affirmations don’t resonate with most of my clients,” says clinical psychologist and midlife women’s career coach Dr. Breese Annable. “They often feel fake or like empty platitudes. As one client put it, ‘I feel like I’m lying to myself.’ Affirmations can fall flat because they deny your current experience and don’t feel authentic.”
Instead, approach it like positive self-think—a way to acknowledge your challenges while shifting your mindset toward gratitude and resilience. Training your inner dialogue to recognize past successes and the strengths you’ve developed can reinforce your ability to handle whatever comes next. Licensed psychologist Peggy Loo, PhD, explains, “Someone is way more likely to have Sunday Scaries if they think, ‘this week is going to be so stressful and awful,’ versus someone who thinks ‘I’ve got a lot happening this week, but I’ll be okay.’”
So, instead of thinking, “Ugh, I’m going to mess up my presentation this week,” try telling yourself, “I’ve prepared well, and even if I stumble, I know I can recover.” Or, if you’re thinking, “I won’t have enough time to get everything done,” reframe it as, “I can focus on my priorities and take things one step at a time, just like I’ve done in the past.” This slight change in phrasing helps shift your perspective from angst to confidence, making Monday feel less intimidating.
Read more: How to Build More Mental Health Into Your Lifestyle
2. Try gratitude journaling
Take time on Sunday to reflect on the previous week. Using guided prompts or simply flowing, write down a few things that went well—whether at work or home. Focusing on accomplishments and positive moments from the previous week can help you enter the new week feeling proud and motivated instead of overwhelmed.
To make your gratitude journaling more impactful, be specific. The more detailed your gratitude, the more your brain associates it with real, tangible positives in your life. Instead of writing, “I'm grateful for my job,” try something more specific, like “I'm grateful for the opportunity to collaborate on the new modeling project last week.”
If structured journaling isn’t your thing, keep it simple—just grab a piece of paper and start a bulleted list under the heading “I’m grateful for…”. Your list might include things like:
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My manager’s encouraging feedback on my presentation
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The coffee chat I had with my coworker—it made me feel more connected
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The crisp morning walk that helped clear my mind
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The 10 minutes I took to unwind with my favorite book before bed
3. Create a gratitude jar
A gratitude jar offers a simple yet powerful way to capture and revisit positive moments. Every Sunday, write down one thing you’re grateful for—big or small—and place it in a jar. Pair this practice with a comforting Sunday ritual like sipping tea, lighting a candle, or playing your favorite music to make gratitude part of your weekly reset.
“It could be something really small,” says Philip Lazarus, associate professor of psychology at FIU. For example, whenever I open the door, my dog is so excited to see me. Charlie (a Shih Tzu) comes and greets me. I feel joy in my heart, and I feel grateful for how my dog loves me. It’s that simple.”
Over time, you’ll build a collection of uplifting reminders. Whenever the Scaries creep in, take a moment to pull out a few notes and reflect on the good things you’ve experienced—even if it’s simply spending quality time with your dog. Your small moments will remind you that even as the weekend ends, there’s plenty to feel hopeful about.
4. Balance weekly planning with feel-good rituals
Start your Sunday with a 15-minute planning session to map out your week, easing any anxiety about the days ahead. Make a list of any high-priority projects and steps you need to take to successfully tackle them. Once you have a clear plan for the week, dedicate the rest of the day to activities that recharge you—while intentionally noticing what you're grateful for in that moment. That might mean:
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Having a “rot day:” Binge-watching your favorite shows and ordering your favorite takeout while appreciating the comfort of rest
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Resetting your space: Tackling some deep cleaning chores and pausing to feel grateful for the home you get to care for
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Prioritizing self-care: Lighting candles, diffusing essential oils, reading, journaling, stretching, or taking a hot shower while reflecting on the little joys in your life
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Cooking something new: Committing to a more time-intensive recipe you wouldn’t normally attempt on a busy weeknight and savoring the process of creating something nourishing
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Connecting with your community: Whether it’s a coffee shop date with a friend or a family catch-up call, social interaction can help you feel grateful for your loved ones
Read more: How to Live a ‘Soft Life’ Without Quitting Your Job
5. Plan a Monday treat for yourself
Give yourself something small but meaningful to look forward to on the first day of the week. Treat yourself to your favorite coffee shop order, plan a lunch break in the sun, or schedule a relaxing activity after work, like watching your favorite show or taking a scenic walk. By associating Monday with something that makes you smile, you set the tone for a lighter, more manageable week. As you enjoy your treat, take a moment to practice gratitude and reflect on what you appreciate about your day so far, whether it’s a kind coworker, a productive start, or even just the warmth of your morning coffee.
6. Express thanks in a gratitude letter
Gratitude isn’t purely personal—it’s about recognizing the joint efforts and people who’ve helped shape who you are. Thank-you notes are an easy and effective way to express your appreciation and strengthen your relationships.
“People who engage in altruism are happier,” Ritchie says. “They are more resilient. They can bounce back from negative experiences faster. It’s tied to gratitude. Volunteering at a soup kitchen, baking for others, putting an extra quarter for someone at the vending machine, leaving a note for a loved one in the morning, finding ways to connect with a community, these things bring us bursts of joy.”
When you're feeling anxious about the week ahead, consider writing a letter of gratitude to someone who has made an impact in your life. Whether it’s a mentor, friend, colleague, or family member, think about how they’ve supported you or made a difference in your day to day. Then, be specific in your thanks: Describe the moments, qualities, or actions that have genuinely meant the most to you. For example, you could write:
Over the past few months, your support has meant the world to me—whether it was offering encouragement when I doubted myself, sending a quick text to check in, or simply making me laugh on stressful days. I’ll never forget the time you stayed late with me at the office, even though you had a packed schedule, just to help me rehearse for my big presentation. You gave me the confidence I needed to walk into that room feeling prepared, and I truly couldn’t have done it without you. Your kindness, wisdom, and unwavering belief in me have made a real difference in my life, and I’m so grateful to have you in my corner.
By turning your attention outward to express external gratitude, you can help ease some of the internal pressure of Sunday anxiety while brightening someone else’s day. It creates a nice, positive feedback loop.
Read more: 60 Memorable Ways to Say ‘Thank You for Your Hard Work’
