JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- Did you know that practicing gratitude daily has a significant impact on your mental well-being and your physical health? Gratitude has been scientifically proven to enrich your physical and psychological health, improve your sleep, and increase mental strength.
Every positive thought creates a pathway in the brain. The more you feel gratitude, the easier it becomes and you’ll attract more to be grateful for.
Try the tips below to increase the gratitude in your life:
· Savor the present moment
· Take a gratitude walk
· Create a gratitude playlist
· Create a gratitude jar
· Take a gratitude break
· Write a thank you note to someone who has made an impact on you
· Leave a post-it around the house or office as a sweet surprise
· Cook a favorite meal or bake a delicious treat to show you care
· Show up with tea, chocolate or a smile
· Practice saying thank you in a sincere and meaningful way
· Think about who you are grateful for
· Journal
· Meditate and find gratitude in each moment
· Say “Namaste” – the ultimate sign to see your light reflected in another, reflecting back
Expressing gratitude easily leads to compassion. When you find reasons to feel grateful to someone, you are bridging the gulf of separation between the two of you. You can’t be thankful and resentful at the same time. A compassionate heart is accepting and forgiving not only to others, but to yourself as well.
Feelings of gratitude enhance relationships – both romantic and platonic. Positive feelings create an upward spiral. Appreciative partners are more likely to remain together over time. Find, remind and bind is a theory of gratitude that allows people to “find” new friends, “remind” people of their existing relationships, and “bind” them further in these relationships. The people you surround yourself with impact your outlook.
Feeling grateful at work leads to greater job satisfaction, lower stress, improved social connections and helps prevent burnout. One always has the option to make a change and can always control their choice. We’re the writer, actor, director and producer of our life.
Gratitude has been found to boost your immune system, lessens aches and pains, helps sleep, reduces blood pressure and may protect against heart attacks, according to Michelle Jones, Civilian Health Promotion Services Coordinator. Gratitude helps us live longer.