Cultivating and Benefits of Gratitude

Posted November 28, 2019

We love Thanksgiving at our house, and it might actually be my favorite holiday. This time of year always focuses on being grateful. In this week’s episode, I want to talk to you about the feeling of gratitude, and how and why you should carry it into everyday life. I hope you and your family have an amazing Thanksgiving and that you have a wonderful weekend. Let’s circle back next week, but for now, make it a great day.

Topics in this episode

Benefits of feeling grateful
Investing in yourself allows for everyone to benefit
Small consistent changes over time lead to lasting changes in your life
Using a gratitude journal
Habit stacking
Letting others know you’re grateful for them

Transcript

Hello hello hello –

How are you today my friends? It’s Thanksgiving!
We love Thanksgiving in our house

It might actually be my favorite holiday

I’ll get up early as usual do my Peloton thing to get the day going Then we get cooking together
It’s just Marc, Tucker and I this year – super low key – super chill

And hopefully we will have weather to be on the patio with a ﬁre for apps Dinner – football – all good
I really look forward to it

And of course I am super grateful But you know what –
I really try to be mindful of gratitude every day Not just Thanksgiving
And that’s what I want to talk to you about today The idea of gratitude and how – on a daily basis – It really can improve your life
Now – let’s start with the basics

You know all of my work starts around the thought Model So we put gratitude in the F line right
Because it is a feeling

And we know our thoughts create our feelings So whether its today – or next Friday
You get to feel grateful

Based on what you are thinking And also remember –

Our brain likes to ﬁnd evidence for what we believe to be true So if you are someone who thinks you are grateful
You will ﬁnd all the evidence to show how you are grateful

Listen – you know what’s on the other end of that spectrum right? Sometimes I hear a version of
I don’t understand – why bad things always happen to me You know you’ve heard this person
Or – if I didn’t have bad luck – I’d have no luck at all Well when you believe that –
You will ﬁnd it

You have both options So for purposes of today
Let’s focus on the gratitude

And the reason I am encouraging you to look at ways you are grateful is because there are a number of studies

That have scientiﬁcally proven the beneﬁts of feeling grateful Thinks like –
Opening the door to more relationships Improving physical health
Improving psychological health

Enhancing empathy and reducing aggression Sleeping better
Improving self esteem Increasing mental strength
Feeling happier and less depressed

There is actually information that discusses how MRI brain scans change with increases in gratitude

I think this type of information is so cool

I mean – it’s not just woo woo

It’s just the beginning of what I bet will be so much more scientiﬁc evidence supporting this You guys – you know I think our mental health is soooo important
Without it – what do we really have? Sure you can be physically healthy – and you know I am all about that too
But if I can’t think straight – how can I have a great workout Right?
And the beauty of this work is You can do it
You can do it in the privacy of your own home Even if you have a one on one coach
Investing in yourself allows for everyone to beneﬁt

If you are not quite ready for that there are a number of things you can do to start small

Small – consistent changes over time Leads to lasting change
You can start with a gratitude journal

I like to use a nice journal to write in but you guys

You can also just use your notes section on your phone if you prefer Every day write down 5 things you are grateful for
There is no wrong way to do this

Allow your brain to ﬁnd 5 things you were grateful for

I like to do mine every morning to prime my brain as I begin the day Some people prefer to do this at night
I write things like – hugging my husband Facetiming with my nieces
Chats with mom and dad

Paying bills Running water
Oh – and of course – love from our pup Make it a habit
So for me –

I know after I get ready I do my self coaching which includes the gratitude journal Find something you already do as a habit and then incorporate this
You know who got me started on this? Oprah of course
I have been doing it for sooo many years

I should go back and look at some of my old journals

It would likely be funny to see what old Michelle was grateful for Ok – you want to know another thing I do?
You know – sometimes I think I should ﬁlter some of the things I tell you I do..lol.. But Its ﬁne – I’ll put it out there – maybe you want to try it
I can’t recall where I read this – I want to say the author Jon Gordon suggested it Every morning as you get out of bed
Place one foot on the ﬂoor and say thank The next foot you say you
And as you walk to the bathroom – or downstairs to take the dog out Every step is
Thank You
I know it might sound a little wacky

But it helps get the brain on the right path Because if I’m being honest
When I ﬁrst wake up

It is not rainbows and Daisys

I need to be very intentional on how I want my day to go

In fact I wake up and take a couple of minutes to just tell myself its going to be a great day It’s going to be productive
Whatever I want to focus on

Because left to it’s own devices – is that the saying? Well left on its own – my brain
Does not just always automatically go to the fairy land..lol. So you guys – this work is constant
But it is so worth it

One more activity is to let others know you are grateful for them Maybe an old fashioned letter
Maybe an email

And this can be for customers and family and friends All of the above
For me – its you

I want to let you know not just today But every day
I am so grateful you are tuning in

I see more and more downloads coming and if you are sharing I so appreciate it You are part of the movement to make a ripple eﬀect
We truly can make a diﬀerence Thank you
Ok – that’s what I have for you today Let’s circle back next week but for now [ Make it a great day – take care!