5 Steps to Leverage Gratitude to Improve Mental Health
Why would an exercise physiologist write a blog about leveraging gratitude to improve mental health? It is very simple. Gratitude and mental health go hand in hand with creating better lifestyle habits. We, humans, live in an interconnected world. There is no way one can be successful without the help of others. Perhaps you are trying to lose weight, but the whole process will become much easier if you have a great support system from your friends, loved ones, and trainers.
I talked to Authority Magazine last week to elaborate on how you can improve your mental health naturally using the most simple ways. Here are 5 steps I wish someone told me about leveraging the power of gratitude to improve mental health wellness, which in turn, elevates my life.
Summary
Listen to this YouTube video on how you can leverage gratitude to improve mental health.
Pause when you feel upset
Life does not always go the way you plan. It is very easy to feel defeated when you see other people becoming more successful at the expense of yourself. It is a natural reaction. The point is how you bounce back from this nagging feeling.
The first step is to actually take a pause. Resting is more important than you think, both physically and mentally. In this case, a break can help with re-orienting your point of view and see what you already have.
Acknowledge your weaknesses
Be honest with yourself. To paraphrase Sun Tzu, “You cannot defeat the enemy if you do not know yourself.” Reflect on what is holding you back. Only when you acknowledge your weaknesses you can see how much gratitude you are receiving.
With the American culture of individualism, it is not too complicated to think you can do everything yourself. At the same time, you tend to forget all the good deeds you have in life; maybe it is a loving family. Perhaps you have a fantastic mentor who helps us see new doors or just a colleague who makes the day much better. Instead of lamenting nobody helps us, you can look inside yourself and find the people who deserve your gratitude.
Related post: Break it down & visualize your highest self for weight loss motivation (part 1)
Take note of the little things
Look at the brighter side. The fact that you are alive and breathing is a blessing. If upon reflecting, you still cannot see the good deeds people have done for you. Then let us start taking notes today!
Start keeping a journal, either digitally or on paper, to jot down little fun things that happen to you throughout the day. You will be surprised to see how connected your life is to the rest of the world. Despite the pandemic forcing us to stay at home, we now find camaraderie from the people in the online world, such as Instagram, Facebook, or even Reddit. People are always out there to comfort each other. For that, we need to be grateful.
Write thank-you notes or say thank you to people
Act on your gratitude. Nobody knows what you think if you keep your thoughts bottled up inside. This is one way you can give back to the people who have treated you well. And it does not need to take much effort.
You can send each other surprise presents. Leaving funny GIFs to people for their important dates. Now, not only do you feel grateful for these recipients, they, in turn, feel thankful for the detailed attention you give them. It is a win-win situation! The both of you can have that feeling of genuine human connections (❁´◡`❁).
Help out others when you can
Sharing is caring. You will feel much better when you continue the good deeds other people have done to you and spread them out to even more people. You never know what they will give you back. It is the fun of living.
By getting to know more people, you will see what they can do for you in return. It does not need to be an equivalent exchange. Feelings do not work that way. It is about the beautiful little trinkets you find along the way as you continue to live and make the journey of your life.
Are you looking for getting started with leveraging gratitude to improve mental health? Get the Habit Forming Checklist for step-by-step instructions to start today.
!!Being healthy is not just about how you feed yourself. It is also about how you feed your soul. By leveraging gratitude and feeling needed, you and I can improve our overall mental wellness. Creating meaningful bonds with the people you love keeps you accountable for living up to your fullest potential. Take advantage of gratitude as your strength and spring into life to achieve that healthy body you love.
As mentioned above, you are going up an almost-impossible uphill battle when you are completely by yourself (remember to leverage your gratitude to improve mental health). The thinking can also be applied to fitness. If you are struggling with your fitness goals and having to try everything on your own, it is going to take a long time to achieve what you want (if you did not happen to get lost.) That is why working with a knowledgeable science-based fitness coach is so important.
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