We're in a whole new month - outta the March/April "funk", and hopefully your city is at least starting to talk about their plans to 'get back to normal' (a loaded phase these day, I know).
No matter your stance on "opening the city back up" and getting back to business as (un)usual, there's one simple tool you can lean on to put you in your best frame of mind to enjoy the day, whatever that may mean for you, today.
I'm talkin' bout gratitude.
I'm so excited you're here. 💃🏻I'm gonna break down the benefits of gratitude - most importantly to your brain (as May is Mental Health Awareness month).
"Gratitude impacts our emotions, personality, social dynamics, career success and health. All of these can contribute to increasing our basic happiness."
We all get “down” at times. You've most likely experienced depression, anxiety and loneliness - maybe all three more recently in the midst of COVID. These are feelings that happen to us all.
According to Happier Human, gratitude isn't going to make you magically “immune” to these negative feelings. They are a part of life’s experience.
However, people who express gratitude are more resilient. Meaning they “bounce back” faster. These negative emotional swings simply don't last as long.
Those that have more gratitude have a more pro-active coping style, are more likely to have + seek out social support in times of need, are less likely to develop PTSD, and are more likely to grow in times of stress.
Harvard Medical School states that "In positive psychology research, gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships."
How to Build Gratitude In Your Life As a Habit...
Remember a few weeks back a little thing called Habit Stacking? Check out the formula for getting any habit to stick, here.
It's all in the details. Be as detailed as possible when writing out your gratitudes. "Im grateful for my spouse" is nice and all, but dig deeper. The more specific you get, the better and more fulfilled you'll feel from the gratitude ritual.
What about them are you grateful for? What specifically makes them such a special part of your life?
Want more?
Join the 7-day Gratitude Challenge, here! It starts at the end of this month, so keep your eyes peeled for an email from me soon. It's gonna be a good one. 🥰
Ready to start your practice today? Snag The 5-Minute Journal. This book helps my gratitude experience to be much more fulfilling and useful in my business + personal life. I know you'll agree!
Let's get into it! What are you most grateful for right now?
Having gratitude-block? Think about basic human needs.
Clean air to fill your lungs and keep you alive today.
Filtered water to hydrate your cells.
A comfortable place to sleep each night.
Don't forget, the most specific, the better the gratitude will make you feel.
Friends don’t let friends forget their gratitude practice. :) If you found this helpful, share with a friend and sign up now for the free 7-day Gratitude Challenge!
Invite someone you love to wellthier wednesday by sharing this link.
I'm grateful for you. I'm grateful for you continuing to support and follow along with wellthier wednesday and I'm grateful you take the minute or two to read something that provides a massive ROI to your overall well-being.
Be sure to thank yourself for taking a moment to focus on your most important asset - you. Remember: a little bit of gratitude a day makes a world of change to your outlook, health + ability to handle stress with ease.
With love + lots and lots of gratitude,
Laura