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What Are You Grateful For?
This is a wonderful day. I have never seen this one before.” According to the Oxford dictionary, gratitude is defined as “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.”
Maya Angelou
Practicing gratitude and giving thanks this time of year may feel standard. But as we enter this holiday season, taking a moment to reflect on what you have, as opposed to what you lack, has a host of physical and mental health benefits. That is why PLM is launching a Gratitude Challenge. If you get caught up in your day-to-day life and forget to take a moment to breathe, reflect, and give thanks, now is your chance!
When you are struggling with a mental illness or chronic pain, it can be easy to feel discouraged or like this might be a waste of your time. However there are many proven benefits to practicing gratitude daily.
Benefits of Participating in Our Gratitude Challenge
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, “Many studies over the past decade have found that people who consciously count their blessings tend to be happier.” Implementing a daily gratitude practice can improve sleep, mood, and immunity.
Gratitude can decrease depression, anxiety, difficulties with chronic pain and risk of disease. How? According to the Mayo Clinic Health System, behavior changes biology. “Positive gestures benefit you by releasing oxytocin, a hormone that helps connect people.”
Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.”
Harvard Health
Why Should You Join the Gratitude Challenge?
If you still need convincing, consider the following positives that result from daily gratitude:
Reduce Depression
By focusing on what you do can improve your general outlook on life. According to UCLA Health, “People with a grateful mindset report higher satisfaction with life, strong social relationships, and more self-esteem than those who don’t practice gratitude.”
Lessen Anxiety
Gratitude is a great coping strategy for individuals with anxiety. Anxiety often takes over our brains with a spiral of negative thoughts and emotions. Taking a moment to think about the positives in your life can interrupt these spirals and help you to stay present and focused on what truly matters.
Improve Heart Health
The Journal of Positive Psychology put out a study in 2021 that reports keeping a gratitude journal can lower your heart rate and regulate your breathing. This, combined with daily gratitude practice, can lower your risk for heart disease by lessening depression, improving daily habits, and creating a healthier and more fulfilling lifestyle.
Improve Sleep
According to UCLA Health, “Thinking positive thoughts before falling asleep promotes better sleep — and there’s evidence that gratitude causes people to have positive thoughts about their life, social support, and social situations.”
How to Start Expressing Gratitude
Of course, starting off with a daily gratitude journal may be too big of a step. We recommend setting small goals to start. Simply posting something on PatientsLikeMe that brings you joy regularly is a solid first step.
Remember to take it easy on yourself. There is a chance that you will miss a day or two of posting, but do not give up! If you skip a day, come back to the challenge when you are ready or feeling inspired. And look for other’s posts to stay motivated as well.
More than anything, the point of the Gratitude Challenge is to help you develop healthy habits around gratitude to improve your mental and physical health. But it is also to have some fun. Take this as an opportunity to prepare for the upcoming holiday season.
Gain perspective on what really matters to you and yours and develop a new perspective before the new year begins. We look forward to seeing what you bring to the group. Good luck!
Join the Gratitude Challenge Today
Follow this link to add your daily gratitude posts. We will be providing prompts week to week to help you stay focused and find inspiration. Come back as often as you can to track your successes and find out what other PLM members are grateful for. Share images of pets, beautiful sites, adventures, family, friends and more!