Written by: Marketa Huzel, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
I want to talk to you about the importance and benefits of gratitude and how it impacts your mental and also physical health. In this article you will learn the following:
How gratitude impacts your life and its benefits
What not to overlook when you practice gratitude
How to start with your gratitude practice
How to start gratitude practice with your kids
What if gratitude practice doesn’t work for me?
How does gratitude impact my life?
Some people think that gratitude is so exaggerated and that it’s not even funny or helpful. I have to agree. Everyone talks about being thankful or grateful but not everyone truly understands what’s behind it or how to actually practice gratitude to the full benefit. The truth is, practicing gratitude is tapping into and understanding your emotions, being more honest with yourself, calming your mind that is reducing your stress and anxiety, and positively impacting your immune system by enhancing dopamine and serotonin levels (happiness hormones). Also, by being a calm and energized person, you are showing up in a certain way in your life and your relationships with other people. And as you can see by only these 4 examples, you can dramatically improve your overall quality of life with one simple exercise the gratitude practice.
What not to overlook when you practice gratitude?
It’s about feeling and being in gratitude rather than thinking about how to be grateful. Why? I’ll share a short story with you. Once I had a super sweet and kind client who felt guilty about doing this exercise because she felt like she had a comfortable life and yet she wasn’t happy. The point is, it’s about appreciation of ourselves, about the positives in our life, and not about comparison with others. It’s about tapping into your heart and the fact there are things to appreciate in life even if the situation is not very positive overall at the moment. It’s about training your mind to focus on positive thoughts and things and finding positive emotions because when you’re focused on gratitude, you can’t feel the pain, the stress, the anger, etc. that may be showing in your daily life. And again, it’s about the feeling! If you’re curious to learn more, watch my YouTube video on this topic! You only need 5 min to learn more!
How to start with your gratitude practice today?
I’d recommend dedicating a few minutes to it twice a day. First thing in the morning when you wake up and last thing at night before you fall asleep. The reason is this: Your mind is in a special energetic state and it’s much easier to tap into your subconscious mind and reprogram your mind for positivity and success than switching to it during the day if you’re not accustomed to it.
Then, come up with at least 5 things you are grateful for. If you’re struggling to come up with 5 things and you’re just starting up, make it easy and achievable for yourself so you can celebrate success or a quick win. (That by the way already boosts your positive state of mind.) List 5 things for example I am grateful for:
My soft pillow
My cozy bed
The roof above my head
My body is alive today because I woke up and I am breathing
The beverage of my choice I’ll be drinking when I get up.
Once you master these 5, come up with new ones. If they’re easy for you, increase to 10 of them every time. And if you do that twice a day, you’ll notice a difference in a few days or weeks.
Does gratitude practice work for kids?
The short answer is yes. The long answer is it is a powerful tool to teach your kids. Especially, if you can do it on regular basis, just to expose them to the fact that they can truly appreciate who they are and what they have in life. You can ask them what they’re grateful for today and build that muscle at the dinner table or breakfast. You choose! As you know, repetition is critical with adults as well as with kids. So, take it as a connection-building exercise for your family.
Once during a parent-teacher interview, the teacher told me she had asked my daughter what she appreciated about herself the most. Her response truly warmed my heart. She said: “Being me.” What level of maturity does this say about my then not even 8-year-old?!
What if the gratitude practice doesn’t work for me?
Some of you may argue that you tried so many times in the past and it didn’t work for you. There are reasons and also different tactics you can do instead to tackle your stubborn and anxious mind. But those deserve a consultation. Why?! Because you should be guided through the tactics. Everyone is unique and needs different tools. And that also applies to strategies how to tackle stress and anxiety.
If you feel inspired to start your gratitude practice, you can start your gratitude journal so later you can go back and see how far you’ve progressed on this journey. You can also read various books with inspiring content for example The Light in the Heart by Roy T. Bennett or Heart Thoughts by Louise L. Hay.
And if you are serious about your transformation and you want to be the purpose-driven, energized, and calm diva that lives an extraordinary life, who has a lifestyle where family, fun, and career complement each other, where time is in abundance and emotions are accepted, understood and taken care of in a healthy way. Where “shoulds” are replaced with “wants” and “I can” and there is no more of the urge to compare yourself to others, judge yourself all the time, read all the self-help books, take courses and put more and more on your plate. Pause, breathe and decipher your life. Make the change you are longing for so badly. Once you start your transformation, you'll be surprised how that will impact others around you. You're not helping just yourself but your loved ones as well. You will be pleasantly surprised. Book a complimentary session with me. To your success and happiness! With gratitude ‒ Marketa
Marketa Huzel, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Marketa is a Transformation Coach who is passionate about personal development ‒ helping high achievers to turn their inner turmoil into inner peace, their exhaustion into sparkling energy, and getting them unstuck by directing them on their path to their life purpose.
Marketa combines her 16 years of experience in corporate roles with a Master’s Degree in Education, certificates in Human Resources Management, and Co-Active Coaching (CPCC).
Marketa allows you to take off your superhero cape, creating a safe space for you to discover who you really are so you can create the life you want. She will offer you insights that will allow you to tap into your existing inner wisdom to find your new path, leaving you with new perspectives and greater clarity. She will help you assess your values, beliefs, habits, and more and transform your life as a whole with her signature “Kaleidoscope 5R Shift Method”.
Marketa continuously develops her skills by embodying her coaching. She is a passionate reader, educating herself in neuroscience, psychology, and other areas that impact personal development. With two young kids of her own, she strives to ensure her kids benefit from her expertise while not being “the mom who kept coaching us even if we were not interested in it but we knew she always meant well”.
Marketa loves the beauty of life, enjoying traveling, sightseeing, music, playing sports, and spending time in nature on the beach, mountains, or woods.
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