This Thanksgiving as you reflect upon your blessings, be reminded that gratitude is really good for you.
The Benefits of Gratitude
Sleep and Mental Health
After you create your current gratitude list, I invite you to take your thanks giving one step further and be creative.
Make a Future Gratitude List
You, your children, partner, etc., can write out or talk about what you each desire in your future. Write/talk out your list as if what you want has already happened—as if your future self is writing/saying it. Take some time to picture yourself as that person. What are you doing? What have you accomplished? How are you different than you are now? What are you wearing? Who are with? What kinds of things do you talk about? Really feel what that person sees, feels, tastes, smells, etc. Feel the gratitude as if you’ve had these experiences with these people in these places as this future person.
Vision Board It (see; 'what's a vision board?)
If you want to take it even further, create a mini vision board. Clip pictures from magazines or print images from the internet that match what your future-self experiences. Tack them on a board or glue to a poster. Our brains love to have a task to focus on. By putting thoughts and visions ‘out there’ the brain automatically goes to work to search out those pictures. Before you know it, that future list will be your current list!
Happy Thanksgiving
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The Benefits of Gratitude
Sleep and Mental Health
- Many benefits of gratitude (not only at Thanksgiving time) are physiological because of the chemicals released into the body when your brain focuses on what you’re grateful for; things like sleep improve as does physical and mental health.
- Because gratitude enhances our ability to empathize and relate, relationships are strengthened and improve.
- a gratitude attitude reduces our stress and defense responses making us more inclusive and less competitive, resulting in a feeling of community and togetherness.
After you create your current gratitude list, I invite you to take your thanks giving one step further and be creative.
Make a Future Gratitude List
You, your children, partner, etc., can write out or talk about what you each desire in your future. Write/talk out your list as if what you want has already happened—as if your future self is writing/saying it. Take some time to picture yourself as that person. What are you doing? What have you accomplished? How are you different than you are now? What are you wearing? Who are with? What kinds of things do you talk about? Really feel what that person sees, feels, tastes, smells, etc. Feel the gratitude as if you’ve had these experiences with these people in these places as this future person.
Vision Board It (see; 'what's a vision board?)
If you want to take it even further, create a mini vision board. Clip pictures from magazines or print images from the internet that match what your future-self experiences. Tack them on a board or glue to a poster. Our brains love to have a task to focus on. By putting thoughts and visions ‘out there’ the brain automatically goes to work to search out those pictures. Before you know it, that future list will be your current list!
Happy Thanksgiving
Goodies, Freebies and Exclusive Special Offers go to Subscribers! Sign up over there, on the right.
I put together this e-workbook of tools to help decipher the personal message that depression may have for you.
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Pass it on to anyone you know who may benefit.
Read the first chapter free when you subscribe
Pass it on to anyone you know who may benefit.
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