As Thanksgiving approaches, I love to express my gratitude for all the blessings in my life: my faith, family, marriage, friends, home, career, creative ability etc…The list is extensive and includes YOU!  Whether you are a client, a member of a networking group, or belong to a women’s association you have touched and enhanced my life and I thank you!

Gratitude means showing appreciation for the things in life that are meaningful or valuable to you. Taking a few minutes to be grateful impacts your mood, outlook, and overall wellbeing.  This makes you feel more positive when facing challenges.

It’s easy to express gratitude when something awesome happens in your life like a promotion or making a big sale. It’s difficult to be grateful when you are stressed by all the problems and everyday challenges. Fortunately, gratitude is like a muscle that you can build with practice.  Appreciating all things big and small has real benefits.

Here are some benefits and tips on how you can use gratitude to uplift your mood, foster stronger relationships, and even elevate your image.

• Mood booster- Shifting your thoughts away from negatives to focus on good things that you may have overlooked works wonders on your mood.  This thinking releases serotonin and dopamine, the chemicals in your brain that increases feelings of happiness and pleasure.
• Improve mental health- There is a decrease in symptoms of depression and anxiety when you practice gratitude. While gratitude alone is not the cure all for mental health issues, it can be part of a treatment plan.
• Better sleep-Some research links increased gratitude with higher quality sleep. Being grateful right before bed allows you to fall asleep with a more positive outlook.
• Improved focus – When you view the task in front of you in a more positive light, you spend less energy feeling stressed.  You might even begin to view challenges as opportunities rather than hurdles which enhances your emotional resiliency.
• Higher self-esteem- Viewing the world with a sense of gratitude can change the way you think about your own worth. Imagine that a friend treats you to lunch, does you a favor, or gives you a present. You begin to realize that your friend is spending time and resources on you because you are worthy. Now you start to internalize the thought that you’re important to others.
• Increased patience- Research indicates that people who regularly express gratitude are more patient and self-control. Other research shows a potential connection between gratitude and other virtues, such as humility and wisdom.
• Enhance relationships- Expressing your appreciation for a friend or family member shows them that you care and opens the door for more positive interactions in the future.  Gratitude can have social benefits that extend beyond your relationships with loved ones.  Being on the receiving end of gratitude can lead even acquaintances to be more helpful and generous. Try telling coworkers or neighbors how much you appreciate them to create a chain reaction of prosocial behavior in your workplace and community.
• Improved physical health- Your gratefulness reduces your stress and draws you closer to loved ones, which can  decrease  your blood pressure and levels of inflammation resulting in better overall cardiovascular health.
• Reframing the past- All of us have regrets about past events.  It could be anything:  not studying for a test, lashing out at a friend or family member, making a poor financial decision or a missed opportunity in dating.  Feeling disappointment, shame, or even heartbreak was normal. As you reflect, you probably learned valuable lessons from these experiences.
• Start a gratitude journal-The subjects you write about either in an actual journal or digitally can include events, people, and generalexperiences. Try to go beyond just listing the most significant moments and accomplishments by acknowledging the small, unexpected gifts, such as quick chats with friendly strangers or a relaxing walk after work. Here are a few journal prompts to get you started:

• • What were some pleasant sensations you experienced today?
  • Were there moments that made you smile or laugh or boosted your mood?
  • Who did you enjoy spending time with and why?

I’m grateful to be celebrating Thanksgiving and the holidays with my family this year. During the past few years, it was not always easy to count my blessings.  Reframing was necessary to help me realize the things that really mattered and how fortunate I was in so many ways. I’ve written all the positives in a journal and found it uplifting to read the entries. This was so helpful on an off day!

What is your favorite way to express gratitude? Do you have a gratitude journal?  Make a list of 10 things that you are grateful for and read it daily!  As you include expressions of gratitude, you’ll notice your stress levels drop and relationships strengthen so that you’ll have even more reasons to be grateful.

Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving!