As we approach Thanksgiving, I’m sure we’re all thinking about the dinner table spread; the perfectly cooked turkey and gravy, or if you’re like me, the delicious side dishes likes stuffing and mashed potatoes. But at this time of year, it’s also a time to remind ourselves how important it is to feed our souls. We’re presented with so many stressors these days we can almost choke on the stress! Isn’t it time you took care of that by feeding your soul something more palatable? And since this is the season of giving thanks, I believe a good place to start is with a nice dose of gratitude…after all, gratitude is one of the most important foods for the soul.
Cultivating genuine gratitude within your self (for life’s ups AND downs) really does have the power to transform the way you feel and the way you live your life. Maintaining genuine gratitude can put your life into perspective and remind you of what’s really important. It’s so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day stress of life that we’re almost blind to anything else. Also, you get what you give. The more you find yourself being grateful and thankful for various things, the more you’ll find that life gives you more things you be grateful for.
Numerous studies have been conducted demonstrating the positive effects that gratitude has on us physically and emotionally. Some examples:
- Those who keep a small gratitude journal were more inclined to exercise, had more energy and vitality, were less bothered by pain, and had 30minutes more sleep every night.
- There are links between gratitude practices and lower cholesterol and blood pressure
- It helps us cultivate the bonds we have with the people we love by focusing on the things about them that we are grateful for.
- An attitude of gratitude makes us more inclined to help one another
- Gratitude decreases feelings of loneliness, envy, regret, or resentment because these emotions are practically incompatible with gratitude.
Often the times it’s most difficult to feel grateful, is the time that we need to cultivate gratitude the most.
Our End of the Year Challenge: Spend the next 30 days cultivating your attitude of gratitude. Every morning when you wake up, or every night before you go to bed, spend 5 min to take a couple of deep breaths and think about something your thankful for (no matter how big or small!) Let the feeling of gratitude fill your heart and expand outwards until you feel yourself smiling inside and out. Stay with this feeling for a few minutes.
Some things we at Stream Point Wellness are thankful for:
“I am grateful for my health and fitness level that allows me to move easily and smoothly so I can work and play doing things I like” – Mary Pat Curran, LMT
“I am grateful for the amazing people in my life. For most, we’d call them friends; they’re the people who always have your back, who snap you out of a tough situation, who embrace your total uniqueness. I think “friends” is too light of a word…too much of an every day term for how much they mean to me. I’m grateful for the genuine souls I’ve been introduced to. – Olivia Leigh Jones
“I am grateful for the challenges that life has thrown my way, the big ones and the small ones. Because with every challenge comes an opportunity for growth and transformation, it’s an opportunity for me to recreate myself in a way that is resonant with my heart and soul” – Andrea Johnston, L.Ac.
“I’m grateful of all of the people who are trying to take care of themselves to improve their life and their health with positive energy. It is pleasure for me to be working in an environment like this and will do my best to improve my skills and knowledge.” – Koichiro Nakanishi, LMT
“I am grateful for the privilege to have access to the Airplanes and Cars that have allowed me to visit and spend quality time with every single one of my closest friends this past year” – Mandy Kiley, LMT
