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#81 Thankfulness as a Healing State of Mind
Thanksgiving, one of my favorite holidays, reminds us
to be thankful for the many things that we may sometimes take for granted. Especially around Thanksgiving, I make an
effort to look for all the ways in which I am fortunate: I am reasonably healthy
and of sound mind, live in a country that is reasonably prosperous, have a lot
of freedom to pursue experiences, make choices, live with integrity and much
more.
Gratitude can benefit us in many ways. For one
thing, a thankful attitude can improve our physical health. According to a
2012 study published in Personality and
Individual Differences, grateful people experience fewer aches and pains and report feeling
healthier than less grateful people.
They are also more likely to take care of their health by exercising
regularly and having regular check ups with their chosen health care provider. Also, according to a study in the journal, Applied Psychology: Health and Well-being,
grateful people tend to sleep better. Making a list of ten or more things for
which you are thankful right before falling asleep may result in sounder and
longer sleep.
Consider feeling/expressing more gratitude all through the holiday season and into the New Year. You might make one of your resolutions to view every event and situation from a grateful perspective. Being more calm and centered because of a more grateful attitude can be helpful in improving difficult situations. Just because we see something positive in a situation doesn’t mean that we should put our heads in the sand and not work to address an unfortunate event or change a situation for the better.
This blog’s offer: feel free to contact me with further questions about this material. You also might consider hypnosis or self-hypnosis as tools to support the cultivation of a more grateful perspective on life.