Gratitude

 

Wanna be happy? The key to being happy is dreaming big for yourself but also recognizing what you have. A grateful heart finds blessings in the seemingly mundane everyday life. We cannot let what we want overshadow what we have. Do you have a tendency to not look on the bright side? Me too. I'm like Donald Duck "why does this always happen to me?" That's where gratitude comes in. It shifts our attitude and our mindset. 

But how? I've been eager to start a gratitude journal and I would like to share the steps with everyone who wants to also create one! Join me in this challenge as we create our journals and learn how being grateful each day can change our outlook on life. 

How Gratitude Can Improve Your Life

 

Is your natural reaction to focus on the negative? 

* My life is so difficult

* Why me?

* I wish I had the new… insert item here

* Why do normal tasks seem so stressful, why can't (insert anything) this just be easy? 

The focus on the negative draws our attention far from the positive. I'm not an optimist, so this is really hard for me! But the problem is, when we overlook the positive, we can start to take people, moments, things for granted. 

 

The Benefits of Gratitude

 

1. Increase Happiness – Whoo hoo! Prof. Robert Emmons, one of the top researchers in Positive Psychology says that practicing gratitude can increase your Happiness by 25%. Emmons says, “a few hours writing a gratitude journal over 3 weeks can create an effect that lasts 6 months if not more” – um, WOW. Can we invest ten minutes a day to have that kind of lasting happiness?! Heck yea! 

 

2. Reduce Negative Emotions – yes please.

 

3. Improve your health. Improves health, wellness, attitude, and energy too! 

 

4. Improves Relationships. Remember how we can take people for granted? You might already be doing this to a spouse, parent, child, friend. 

 

5. Improve Your Outlook for the Future. Having a positive outlook can transcend into working harder toward your goal (or even starting one) because you feel there is a better chance to succeed!!! Gratitude changes our LIMITING BELIEFS of ourselves. 

 

6. Improves Sleep – Hallelujah! 

7. Reduces worry! 

8. Makes you a better person. A person people WANT to know. Wow. 

I know I don't want to miss out on these 8 benefits in my life. Do you??? 

Join me in a Gratitude Challenge by messaging me on Facebook at FB.com/fromfaith2fitness or send me an email at Jalene.Cabrales@gmail.com. We start October 15.