November 7, 2021: Practicing Gratitude
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When we set goals to improve our health, gain more energy, and/or lose weight, those goals often have to do with nutrition and exercise. And while these two aspects of living a healthy life are very important, what if I told you that appreciation and being thankful could increase your health and enhance your well being? This week, we’re going to talk about how practicing gratitude improves our health.
Too often, we focus on the negative in our lives. We find ourselves blaming or playing the victim role. This doesn’t serve us and can stick us into a negative, depressed mindset.
Can you imagine what would change for us if we automatically focused on the positive in each situation?
How Practicing Gratitude Improves Health
Those who regularly practice gratitude report sleeping better, having a stronger immune system, feeling more alive, and better resilience as it relates to stress. But the benefits of practicing gratitude can be endless. Psychology Today reported that individuals that wrote down what they are grateful for before bed, fell asleep faster and stayed asleep longer.
Grateful individuals:
Report higher levels of positive emotions
Have greater life satisfaction
Experience greater vitality
Are more optimistic
Are healthier
Build stronger relationships
Handle adversity better
Experience lower levels of depression and stress
People who have a strong disposition toward gratitude have the capacity to be empathetic and to take the perspective of others. They are also rated as more generous and more helpful.
Grateful individuals place less importance on material goods, are less likely to judge their own and others success in terms of possessions accumulated and are less envious of others.
Exercise Your Gratitude Muscle
In a sense, gratitude is like a muscle and requires regular exercise to stay fit and functional. When writing in a gratitude journal, aim to find new things to be grateful for each day. Instead of constantly writing down that you are grateful for your family, look for more specific moments to be grateful for.
For example, “Today I am grateful that my husband made dinner so I could relax and take a hot bath.” Gratitude journaling is so effective because over time it changes our perception of situations and what we focus on. Make it a point to notice new things each day to be grateful for.
Anytime we set out to form a new habit, there are always going to be obstacles to face. You will quickly negate any benefits of practicing gratitude or journaling the things you are grateful for if you are beating yourself up about not being consistent with it.
As with any change, set yourself up for success. If you know that writing in a gratitude journal before bed isn't realistic for whatever reason, pick a different time of day. Or you may use a different form of expressing gratitude such as a gratitude jar. A gratitude jar is a jar where you place a small piece of paper with moments of gratitude written on them. You can review them weekly, monthly, or once a year.
As we move into a season about thankfulness, I encourage you to start, continue, or resume a regular practice of expressing gratitude. Observe and notice the improvements in your mood, health, well being, and overall happiness.
Next Sunday, we’ll talk about some of my favorite healthy Thanksgiving recipes from around the internet.
Want some expert help with reaching your health goals painlessly? Check out my programs! We’ll get everything taken care of in a way that fits into your current lifestyle so you never have to think about your health again.
Do you have a friend who could stand to G(her)ST? Feel free to forward this!
I hope you have a wonderful week,
Kelly
Kelly Morgan, Ph.D.
Tsirona - www.tsirona.com
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