Gratitude changes everything
Gratitude changes everything
Gratitude changes everything
“If one more person appreciates me, I quit! If I get one more compliment, I’m done!”, said no one, ever. Gratitude has been found to be the #1 predictor of well-being and a strong determinant of resilience.
Resilient people proactively cultivate positive emotions like humor, gratitude and optimism. You don’t even have to find anything to be grateful for. The simple act of looking for the positive decreases the stress hormone cortisol by 23%. Just looking for something to appreciate increases serotonin and dopamine, the feel-good neurochemicals in most antidepressants.
Gratitude affects your brain at a neurological level. A gratitude practice has a positive impact on: sleep, mood, alertness, physical risk markers for future disease, happiness, better financial decision making, problem solving, optimism, productivity, and goal orientation. People who practice gratitude are perceived as more likeable, have fewer aches and pains, have increased self esteem, and make friends more easily. Practicing gratitude lowers stress, enhances empathy, lowers your risk of cancer, high blood pressure, and diabetes, and it improves your immune system and cardiovascular health.
Gratitude has been found to be the #1 predictor of well-being and a strong determinant of resilience.
Still not convinced?
When we have a negative experience, it encodes itself into our neural structure immediately. Your brain doesn’t give the same weight to positive experiences because they don’t have an immediate impact on your survival.
Our brain has a negativity bias, causing it to constantly scan the environment for what’s wrong. Mind Over Moment is a way to help it find the things that are right. In order to offset negativity bias, when you have a great moment (I call it a delicious moment), savor it. Savoring is the ability to step outside of the moment to truly appreciate it.
You can encode positive experiences and retrain the brain by sitting in a positive experience for 15-20 seconds. Really soak in that beautiful moment, appreciate it, and relish the feeling. You have to deliberately sustain and internalize positive emotions to transfer them from short-term memory to long-term storage. You can’t just have the experience. You have to install it.
There is literally no downside to practicing gratitude.
- Journaling for 5 minutes a day about what you are grateful for can enhance long-term happiness by 10%.
- Write a letter, send a text or email thanking someone. Give a compliment.
- Create a gratitude jar, or simply recount the best parts of your day when you fall asleep at night. We are so busy in our constant search for happy that we forget happiness isn’t a trait, it’s a skill.
You have the power to change your brain and your life. I am incredibly grateful for you! Thank you for inviting me to be a part of your week.
Stay brave and resilient,
Anne
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It is Day 17 of the 31-Day Mindfulness Challenge! I've got a personal favorite of mine to share with you 😀💃
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Today's word: Dance!
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You don’t have to be Beyonce’ to rock it out. Just dance.
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Research shows that dancing has a significant impact on brain health, including reduced risk of dementia. The simultaneous combination of physical and cognitive demands force you to stay in the moment. Plus, dancing releases endorphins and increases production of happy hormones, while reducing the stress hormone cortisol.
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#mindfulnesschallenge #mindfulness #mindset #dance #danceparty #moveyourbody #resilience #reset #mentalhealth #danceitout
Happy Saturday my brave and resilient friends! It is Day 16 of the 31-Day Mindfulness Challenge.
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Today’s word: Rest
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Get a good night's sleep.
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I know how compelling it is to watch one more episode on Netflix or send that one last email, but poor sleep leads to higher levels of anxiety and stress, and that impacts your ability to stay mindful.
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Try going screen free for 30 minutes before bed, stretch, take a warm bath, or do body scan meditation.
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#mindfulnesschallenge #mindfulness #meditation #bodyscan #resilience #reset #rest #sleep
I can't believe we are already half way through January! It is Day 15 of the 31-Day Mindfulness Challenge.
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Check in with me in the comments or send a DM. Let me know how the Mindfulness Challenge has helped you reset in the new year. 👇
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Today's word: Cleanse
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Spend 5 minutes cleaning clutter. It could be in your closet, your inbox, your desk, or your mind.
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It is difficult to be present while distracted. Set a timer for 5 minutes. During that time be totally present while de-cluttering your mind or your physical space. If you do this daily, you’ll find that you feel lighter, more focused, and less overwhelmed.
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#mindfulnesschallenge #mindfulness #mindset #declutter #meditate #setyourintentions #bemindful #resilience #mindovermoment #januaryreset #2021
Day 14 of the 31-Day Mindfulness Challenge!
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Today's word: Self-love
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Toot your own horn. You are a badass! 💪
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Practicing mindfulness is not the opposite of ambition; it is your success accelerator. Whether you want to create a new product, start a business, write a book, go for a promotion, start a new career, or learn how to cook, practicing self-love will help you get there faster, with greater ease, and more mental clarity.
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You are full of strengths, accomplishments, and goodness. You are strong and capable of handling anything that is thrown your way. You have done it before and you will do it again, and that is worth celebrating! You can’t show compassion to others if you don’t have it for yourself.
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#mindfulnesschallenge #mindfulness #mindset #selflove #selfcompassion #resilience #ambition #goals #success #personaldevelopment #mentalclarity #mindovermoment
Going strong this week 💪 Day 13 of the 31-Day Mindfulness Challenge!
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This one is a great practice to share with your accountability partner. Tag them in the comments. Let's go!
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Today's word: Presence
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Practice being present.
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The next conversation you have, be totally and completely present. When your mind wanders, which it will, gently come back to the conversation. Pay attention to body language, facial expressions, and the intent behind the content of the message.
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Remember, mindfulness is a practice. Your mind will always wander because that’s what the mind does. Just bring yourself back to now.
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#mindfulnesschallenge #mindfulness #resilience #bepresent #liveonpurpose #accountabilitypartner #mindovermoment #resilience
It is Day 12 of the 31-Day Mindfulness Challenge!
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Today's word: Center
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Mindfully and slowly scan your body from head to toe. Pay attention to sensations and feelings.
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The purpose of this body scan meditation practice is to tune into your body—to reconnect to your physical self—and notice any sensations you're feeling without judgement. This technique is so effective because it keeps you in the present moment and brings a feeling of calm and centeredness.
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I'll be posting a video later today on how I use body scan meditation to fall asleep every single night. 🧘♀️
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#mindfulnesschallenge #mindfulness #resilience #bodyscan #tunein #bepresent #backtocenter #mindovermoment #selfcare #selfcompassion #meditation #breathe
Anne Grady is a Speaker, Author, and #TruthBomb Dropper.
Anne shares practical strategies that can be applied both personally and professionally to improve relationships, navigate change, and triumph over adversity. And she’ll make you laugh while she does it. Anne is a two time TEDx speaker, and her work has been featured in numerous media outlets, including Harvard Business Review, Entrepreneur, Forbes, Fast Company and Inc. magazines, CNN, ESPN, and FOX Business. She is the best selling author of 52 Strategies for Life, Love & Work and Strong Enough: Choosing Courage, Resilience and Triumph.
