Ready or not, the holiday season is upon us.
You may already have your Thanksgiving menu planned, your holiday cards addressed and your list made for Santa, or, if you’re like me, maybe not 😂.
Before we get too caught up in the craziness, let’s stop, drop and take a moment to be grateful.
Why?
It's simple–the benefits of practicing gratitude are bountiful, and there’s plenty of science to back me up.
People who regularly take time to be thankful:
Feel happier & more positive
Are less depressed
Sleep better
Have fewer symptoms of stress
Are more resilient
and
Have stronger health and immune systems.
What?
A gratitude practice is a no-cost vitamin for your soul that takes very little time or effort. The theory behind practicing gratitude is basic: what we concentrate on increases. By focusing on our blessings, they become bigger in our minds. We think less of what we lack and manifest more of what we want. When we’re acknowledging what we have right here, right now, regrets and worries fade.
As Oprah so beautifully puts it: “Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.”
The science behind gratitude is also simple. Gratitude rewires your brain by:
Enhancing dopamine & serotonin (happiness neurotransmitters)
Reducing fear & anxiety by reducing stress hormones
Creating new neural connections (neuroplasticity)
In a nutshell, you become more likely to focus on the positives in the world than the negatives.
Who doesn’t want to feel happier, get a good night’s sleep, suffer less from inevitable stress, bounce back quicker and be healthier?
How!
Insight without action = no traction, so here are simple ways to practice gratitude throughout your day…
Morning Gratitude: Start by listing three things that you already have, for which you’re grateful.
I’m grateful for:
Then, list three things that would make today great, expressed as gratitude, as if they have already happened.
What would make today great:
For example: I am grateful that I have blocked 45 minutes to enjoy a quiet lunch, and that I honor this sacred appointment with myself.
Evening Gratitude: Close your day by acknowledging the good things that happened.
I am grateful for these awesome things that happened today:
Weave it into your day and gratitude will become a surefire balm for stress or distress. I’ve talked myself out of many a perceived crises with the help of my gratitude journal. If I’m tired or overwhelmed and feel the slippery slide into woe is me, I start a list. It’s hard to feel sorry for yourself when you can see in black and white how fortunate you truly are, and this is the art of gratitude.
The science of gratitude is that it truly changes your brain!
One of the most profound ways I have found to connect with gratitude is by taking a break from the hustle and connecting with nature. Join me for Spirit of the Mountain, a rejuvenating retreat in the heart of the Smoky Mountains. Connect with gratitude, surround yourself with the serenity of nature, and be held by Mother Nature’s embrace.
Want to hear more about Spirit of the Mountain?? Let’s Talk!