With Thanksgiving this week, we have a natural day to focuson what we are grateful for. But what ifwe took gratitude and learned to express it each day. Could it help us live a healthier life? Turns out research says just that.
Regularly expressing gratitude has been shown to:
· Improve your mental health by decreasing thesymptoms of depression and lowering anxiety by promoting a sense of calm.
· Decreases stress and cortisol in the body.
· Improve your sleep.
· It can support heart health through each of the above-listedbenefits as well as by lowering diastolic blood pressure.
For those of us who exercise at a CrossFit gym, these arealso going to lead to increased performance in the gym, recovery, and improvedmindset during our workouts.
Here are some tips for regularly incorporating the practiceof gratitude in your life:
1. Start a Gratitude Journal. Each day, take just a minute or two to writedown three things you are grateful for. It can be in long format, but three bullet points are all that isneeded.
2. Prayer of Examen. Spend a few minutes reflecting on the day,looking back over things you are grateful for, places where you fell short, andthinking through the next day.
3. Redirect Your Thoughts. When you feel frustrated or find yourselfexperiencing negative self-talk: step back, take a breath, and shift your focusto what can be a positive aspect of the situation.
4. Express Your Gratitude. Write a thank you note to someone, perform anact of kindness, tell someone why you’re grateful for them.
In the hustle and bustle of life, it's easy to overlook theprofound impact of gratitude. By embracing a mindset of gratitude, we can unlock a multitude of benefits that extend into all areas of life and health.
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