Reasons to be thankful
Did you know that spending a little time practising gratitude can help you feel more optimistic, make fewer visits to the GP and improve sleep?
Weekly topic: your guide to better sleep
Even when things aren’t always going your way, there's always a silver lining to focus on. Remembering that can take a conscious effort, and that’s completely understandable. It something that happens to all of us: life gets busy and as we speed along, we forget to pause and look up. All too often, we end up focused on the bumps in the road rather than the sun in the sky.
But when you take a moment to think about the good things in your life – it could be the blossoming flowers in your garden, your partner’s excellent cooking skills or the heroic efforts of those in your community – the gratitude you feel sparks a burst of happiness. The more often you pause for gratitude, the more that state of mind lingers. And when it comes to weight loss and wellness, happier people make healthier choices. So far, so good, right?
Well there’s more good news: gratitude also prepares you to be able to rebound from setbacks and meet challenges head on. It can help us feel more content in our relationships, and it can even help you sleep better. In fact, studies in the US have shown that by simply spending a few minutes every day listing things you feel grateful for, you’ll reap some incredible rewards including feeling more optimistic and making fewer visits to the GP.
Here’s how to do it…
How to increase gratitude
Choose three days this week to take some time – maybe at the same time each day – to focus on the good things that have happened that day. Then try this technique:
1. Think of three good things that have happened in the past 24 hours: they could be small, such as completing an online yoga session, or big, such as a promotion at work.
2. Use a notepad or journal to write about each good thing in detail: when and where it happened, what you wore, who was with you, etc.
3. Note how you felt during and after you experienced this good thing.
If you feel like it, share some of these things in Connect or on your Instagram page, and spread the happiness among your friends and fellow WW members.