Happy December! Did you know that one of the biggest speed bumps people hit when working on their health goals is stress? This is especially true right now during the holiday season! With all of the gatherings, work parties, school events, and gift shopping that people do this time of year, life quickly becomes stressful. Consistently high stress levels lead to a host of physical and mental health problems, plus, all of your other healthy efforts can become less effective.
And while we may think that stress is inevitable, it’s not! How is this so? Numerous studies have shown that people who intentionally practice gratitude have far less stress in their lives. By taking just a few minutes per day to consider the things that you are grateful for, you can experience life in a whole new way!
Sounds too good to be true? Check out four of the top reasons I advise my clients to spend time each year with gratitude.
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Your mental health will improve
As I’ve already mentioned, adopting a daily gratitude practice has been scientifically proven to reduce your overall stress levels. You know what also happens when your stress levels go down? Your mental health improves tremendously!
Some of the same research that has linked gratitude with decreased stress has also shown that gratitude helps curb symptoms of anxiety and depression. If you are someone who experiences either of these conditions, you understand how valuable it is to find effective management techniques. Adding gratitude to your daily self-care habits can do wonders for your mental health in the short and long-term.
You’ll lower your cortisol levels
Another positive benefit of reducing your daily stress levels is a decrease in your cortisol levels. Why should you avoid having high levels of this hormone? Too much cortisol in the body has been linked to all kinds of unwanted ailments and symptoms, including high blood pressure, disregulated blood sugar, fatigue, and headaches.
Gratitude can help stop cortisol from getting out of control by managing your stress levels. Keeping this hormone within a healthy range will help put you in a better position to reach your health goals.
You’ll leave a memorable legacy for your kids
On top of the physical benefits of adopting a gratitude practice, there are some positives that most people overlook. If you have children, one of the biggest is leaving a legacy of good health habits.
As parents, we’re always searching for ways to help our kids develop beneficial habits that will last their entire lifetime. Modeling a gratitude practice is an amazing gift that you can give to your children! Encouraging them to talk about or think about the things that they are most grateful for will set them up to be less stressed, happier, and healthier as they grow into adults. What could be a better gift than that?
You’ll be in a better place to achieve your health goals in 2023
Finally, having a consistent gratitude practice is a wonderful way to put yourself into the best position to reach your health goals for 2023. No matter what you want to achieve, cultivating a positive mindset will help you overcome the difficult days that are inevitable along the way. When you mentally feel your best, you can do anything you set your mind to!
Practice gratitude without a major time commitment
I’m challenging you to add a practice of gratitude to your daily life. The best part? It doesn’t have to be time-consuming! Whether you spend 15 seconds or 15 minutes per day on your gratitude practice, you’ll reap these amazing benefits.
What can you do to practice gratitude each day? Here is a list of some of my favorite activities:
- Start a gratitude jar (this idea is great to practice with your kids!)
- Write a list of 10 things you are grateful for each morning or evening
- Create a gratitude tree or a gratitude flower (another great activity to practice as a family)
- Start a gratitude box (similar to the idea of a gratitude jar)
- Find gratitude prompts online, or buy a gratitude journal, and fill in your answers
- Incorporate gratitude into your meditation practice
- Make a gratitude collage
- Write a letter of gratitude to someone that you can either keep or send
- Write a letter of gratitude to YOURSELF that you can pull out and read on tough days
The most important takeaway? Make your gratitude practice work for your habits and lifestyle. The more you enjoy the activity/activities you choose, the more likely you are to stick with your gratitude practice year-round.
Also, as you consider the things you appreciate, don’t limit yourself. Gratitude shouldn’t be reserved solely for the big things in life. As you start to take time to notice all the good things in your life, the more you’ll realize how much you have to be grateful for!
DAWN MCGEE
Dawn McGee is a certified and licensed Nutrition Evangelist and a long-time foodie, she focuses on both the health and joy of food as fuel for your body. She is a driving force in bringing education on healthy eating to more people through her community, my “Reclaim Your Life, One Bite at a Time” programs, and my book “365 Days of Healthy Living”. Her hope for you is that you live a life you love, without being hungry, feeling deprived, or giving up your glass
