Gratitude and Acknowledging the Good

We hear a lot about gratitude these days and here's why...

Coming into gratitude is one of the easiest practices we can do that literally changes our brains.

Every moment that we can direct our mind to find gratitude, we are changing the way the neural pathways in our brain are wired.

According to Positive Psychology - Gratitude is the human way of acknowledging the good things in life. Psychologists have defined gratitude as a positive emotional response that we perceive on giving or receiving a benefit from someone or something. It’s a spontaneous feeling but research demonstrates its value as a practice - making a conscious effort to “count” ones blessings in any form can enlighten the mind and make us feel happier. 

Think about it like an exercise for your mind...

When you lift weights, you build stronger muscles, right? Well, when you focus your attention on the positive aspects in your life, you are building the muscles of gratitude. As the brain directs its attention to what you are grateful for, the neural pathways fine tune this skill and you begin to build a stronger connection to joy and happiness. 

Now, I know this can be easier said then done, especially during difficult times.

Of course we also know, these are the times where it’s even more important! It’s at these times when we must dig deep and challenge our minds to find any little bit of good in our day...the sunshine, my bed, a house over my head, food in my pantry.

This practice of challenging our minds to align with gratitude and finding something positive affects our entire central nervous system. It stimulates more feelings of peacefulness, creates less reactivity and/or resistance, and connects us to an organic feeling of joy.

So, are we ready to get started?....

SELF-CARE Action Step:
To Practice:  Keep a daily journal of 3 things you are grateful for. You can do this in the morning or before you go to bed. It can be in a journal at your bedside or include it in your daily planner. The idea is to get into the everyday practice of finding the good in your present life. It's an amazing realization to move the mind from "not enough" to "abundance".