This is the season when we are reminded to give thanks. In the whirlwind of family events, how do we take time for mindful gratitude? One way is with a Gratitude Journal, a special book devoted to listing the things, large and small, that enrich our lives. If you have one that you’ve been neglecting, now is a great time to revisit it. If you don’t, consider finding a few quiet moments each day to list ten things you are grateful for. Choosing to focus on gratitude first thing in the morning creates a positive outlook for your whole day.
Another place where we focus on our gratitude is at the Thanksgiving table. This year, I invite you to slow down. Ask each member of the family to express their gratitude for one small blessing. Look at the food on your fork and express gratitude for that bite of food. This mindful practice brings you into the moment and centers you. Look at the person next to you and express gratitude for one of their special characteristics. Sharing small, simple thoughts of gratitude can help unify the people at your table and deepen the experience of eating together. And you probably won’t overeat if you are eating mindfully!
Today, my gratitude list includes ‘Bighearted Friends’ and ‘Good Health.’ Next week, Kathy Hartley, my friend and owner of the Lavender Inn in Ojai, CA, is generously dedicating 3 days at her beautiful bed & breakfast to support 10 women, all undergoing chemotherapy for cancer. The women will be treated to gourmet meals, spa treatments, massages, workshops and support for moving on with their lives. I will be providing life coaching as part of the program and, as I prepare to meet with these women, I am reminded of the preciousness of life and to take time to be grateful for each moment.
What are you grateful for?
Posted under Personal Growth
This post was written by brook on November 29, 2008
Great ideas. Thanks, Brook!
I’m grateful for mystery.
BY THE WAY, in case you need some scientific reasons to practice GRATITUDE read on….
“It is really physiologically impossible to experience gratitude and stress at the same time,” said Kathleen Hall, a stress researcher.
Hall says new research shows gratitude changes the body.
“There’s actually a physiological response and a psychological response when people are grateful,” Hall said. “They have more energy. They’re more enthusiastic. They’re more optimistic.”
“There’s an energy that moves from the brain to the heart. With that is endorphins, dopamine, the things in the physiology in the body changes,” she said.
read the rest of the article:
http://www.king5.com/health/stories/NW_112307HEK_attitude_gratitude_KS.31422506.html
more:
Studies also provide evidence that a positive, appreciative attitude enhances the body’s healing system and general health.
“When you hold feelings of thankfulness for at least 15 to 20 seconds, beneficial physiological changes take place in your body. Levels of the stress hormones cortisol and norepinephrine decrease, producing a cascade of beneficial metabolic changes. Coronary arteries relax, thus increasing the blood supply to your heart. And your breathing becomes deeper, raising the oxygen level of your tissues.”
http://www.patantconsult.com/articlesvault/Article/Top-Ten-Reasons-to-Adopt-the-LAW-of-GRATITUDE/2319
and more:
“Dr. Michael McCullough of the University of Miami and Dr. Emmons have been conducting an ongoing Research Project on Gratitude and Thankfulness. They found that people who keep weekly gratitude journals feel better about their lives as a whole, and are more optimistic about the future in comparison with those who didn’t keep gratitude journals.”
http://www.sedonameditation.com/GratitudeAttitude.html
Wow. Fascinating!