An Attitude of Gratitude.
Thanksgiving is a beautiful time to be surrounded by family and friends. Expressing gratitude and giving thanks for everyone and everything we have is one of the most gratifying experiences in life. Being grateful and thankful clears all the negative energy and feelings that we are carrying all day long.
William Arthur Ward said
“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.” —William Arthur Ward
The practice of gratitude is one of the most influential relationships we can have with our well-being and health. Every morning when I get up I write in my journal what I’m grateful for as well every evening before I go to sleep, I say gratitude about my day and that I’ alive and well.
Morning gratitude helps me to go on with my day and changes my attitude towards my new day and evening gratitude helps me to fall asleep easily.
Gratitude has powerful effects on our health. When you focus on the good in your life, you are less anxious, depressed and you are not playing a victim. Gratitude can reduce stress, and what goes along with it improves digestion. Appreciation and a positive attitude can reduce PMS, help you sleep better and it will help keep your hormones balanced. It helps connect you with people, build better relationships, enhance empathy, and reduce aggression.
Being grateful, happier reduces cortisol, increases the release of one of the “feel-good” hormones, serotonin, furthering its connection with happiness.
Dr. Sara Gottfried says “An attitude of gratitude upgrades your hormones, from oxytocin to cortisol, and your neurotransmitters, including dopamine and serotonin. Recent data suggests gratitude provides behavioral and psychological “glue”—oxytocin is associated with promoting the glue that connects adults in meaningful relationships. Not surprisingly, gratitude increases blood flow and activity in the hypothalamus, the master gland that controls hormones”
Isn’t that amazing?
There are times when I’ sure gratitude is not easy. We all have days that nothing goes the way we want it and the gratitude practice is difficult. Listen to your body though, when you take a couple of minutes on the end of your day and think what you have, the day is not going to look so bad on end. You know that this is when you need to put more focus on your practice. It will help you to be less anxious, and it will open the door to seeing your life from a different perspective.
It always makes me happy when I see my clients incorporating gratitude into their daily routine. They seem so much happier and appreciative.
Gratitude is good for you!
It is best to create a daily habit of incorporating gratitude into your day. Why not invite more joy, abundance, wealth, health, and vitality in your life?
I will give some tips on how to incorporate gratitude into your daily routine:
– Take a couple of minutes in the morning and in the evening to say what are you grateful for
– Write your gratitude in a journal (that is my favorite one! Sometimes I go back to it and reread it, and it makes me happy!)
– Buy a big jar – that would be your “gratitude jar” and write your gratitude on small pieces of paper then toss it in the jar
– Spend time in nature, sit by the tree, and express your attitude
– Say thank you to your friend
– Give a compliment to someone: it can change that person entire day sometimes even a life
– Say thank you before every meal you eat
– Take a bath and say gratitude for your body
Here is some gratitude inspiration:
What can I learn from the challenges I currently experience?
Take a moment and focus on the good parts.
Focus on what went well in your day.
What do I like about myself?
Who are my favorite people and why?
How do I express gratitude for my relationships?
What are you good at?
Do I have any talents?
You can find plenty of opportunities to be grateful for! They don’t have to be big.
What I’m grateful for today is that I live in such a beautiful place. I love spending time in nature, I love the mountains, and I enjoy hiking with my dog! Gratitude practice fills me with so much happiness.
In Health,
Angie
Check out my Thriving Hormones Detox here! Click on the image!
References:
Zahn, R., et al. “The neural basis of human social values: evidence from functional MRI.” Cerebral Cortex 19, no. 2 (2009): 276-283.
