Gratitude

Change Your Mind & You’ll Change Your Life

“Science shows that when you’re in a state of gratitude, complete sheer gratitude, you are incapable of feeling negative emotions.”

- Jennifer Price

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I like to focus on year-round gratitude, not just when big, beautiful things happen. Cultivating a thankful heart daily is the remedy for almost everything.

I believe that many cases (not all) of chronic depression and anxiety are byproducts of our inability to stay focused on what we are grateful for. When you're in a state of gratitude, I'm talking sheer gratitude, you are incapable of feeling any negative emotion.

When you are in a state of gratitude, you become a magnet for more blessings. Here's a fun fact regarding gratitude and marriage: Research shows that longevity is predicted based on how much each spouse appreciates the other.

What is gratitude?

Gratitude is feeling and expressing appreciation for what you have instead of focusing on what you want, need, or are lacking. The benefits of living in a state of gratitude are endless.  

Gratitude affects:

• Emotions - You're more relaxed and resilient, experience more positive emotions, are happier, and are more optimistic.  

• Mindset - You handle stress better because it rolls off of you more quickly, you'll become optimistic and resourceful, and your mind will function better.  

• Personality - You’re less self-centered, more self-confident, happy, and a more pleasant person to be around.  

• Physical health - being in a state of gratitude boosts your immunity for 12-24 hours.

• Relationships - You appreciate each other and the little things more, and this transcends into a beautiful relationship of mutual giving, receiving, improved communication, joy, and partnership.

• Career Performance -Your brain functions better, and you experience more creativity and productivity.

• Sleep Quality - Gratitude helps provide feelings of peace, which help you relax (body and mind) to experience a deeper, more restorative sleep.

When you are in a state of gratitude, you'll see yourself differently, you'll see your career differently, you'll see your spouse differently - You'll See Life Differently! 

How to Put Yourself in a State of Gratitude

To cultivate a life of gratitude, I recommend several things. In addition to putting you in a state of gratitude, these will add richness and value to your life and the lives of others.

• Compliment others

• Celebrate your wins, big and small

• Vow not to complain, gossip, or criticize yourself or others

• Ask what you can learn and how to grow from painful situations

• Volunteer

• Priming Meditation

• Affirmations 

Priming Meditation

Tony Robbins offers a meditation called Priming, which you can find on his website and on his YouTube channel. This gratitude practice is unmatched. Priming is a meditative exercise that lets you focus on three things you are grateful for and three goals you want to accomplish during the day. If you do this meditation daily, you'll experience more energy, creativity, and focus; you'll easily handle daily stress and find yourself in a more positive state of mind. Priming is how I start my day. It takes 10 minutes - but packs a powerful punch!

Affirmations

Affirmations are affirming statements that change your mindset, make you more positive, and help you develop empowering beliefs. You'll see results in a few days if you practice them daily.

How To Practice Affirmations:

• Read aloud first thing in the morning - it helps set the tone for your day and draws the goals you're achieving into your consciousness.

• Read them aloud every night before sleep - whatever the brain processes 45 minutes before you fall asleep, the subconscious replays over and over all night while you sleep. This reprograms your mind. So, the information you process through reading, television, music, conversations, and emotions you experience, your subconscious uses all that to program your mind while you sleep. If your brain processes negativity, that can foster anxiety, a constant state of fight or flight in the nervous system, and lead to poor sleep, daily fatigue, and depression. But fill the last 45 minutes of your day with positivity, meditation, prayer, soothing music, and beautiful emotions like love, joy, gratitude, and positive affirmations. You'll be happier with a healthy mindset.

• Feel the affirmations in your heart - feel positive emotions like love, joy, and appreciation.

• Visualize the affirmations - see in your mind's eye whatever your affirmation is. If your affirmation is, "I am healthy," visualize your body looking, feeling, and functioning well.

Using affirmations is the fastest way to rewire or retrain your brain away from negativity, depression, anxiety, bad habits, and addictions, and it channels you toward a state of constant gratitude, joy, and healthy habits.

Sound too good to be true? Try it for two weeks and see for yourself.

In conclusion, by focusing on the present, appreciating your blessings, and practicing gratitude daily with Priming Meditation and Affirmations, you can positively transform your entire life.

Be grateful,