Hi there and welcome to Feel-Good Monday!
This is where we share our favorite tips, tricks, secrets, and ways to “think like a healthy person” so that you can find your own delicious path to healthy living.
“Feel-Good Mondays” are meant to help us get back into that place of feeling energized, nourished, and ready to take inspired action for the week ahead.
So, here’s something you may not know about me yet: Thanksgiving is the BIG holiday for the Mosses. Like, epic-big.
It’s the one holiday that my husband and I are fully in charge of, and it’s kind of a big deal…This week we are hosting a “small” group of around 16 people (as opposed to last year’s group of 30) and the planning/cooking/shopping has already gone into full effect. My mom and I will be holed up in my kitchen from now ’til Thursday, and I totally love every minute of it.
(Here’s me and my mom, taking a little break in between all of the Thanksgiving prep at least year’s feast.)
I thought about sharing some of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes with you here, but there’s something more profound and “healthy” I want to talk to you about this week (and besides, I’ve already been posting them on Facebook, so go check them out if you want to see what I’m cooking!)
In the spirit of my favorite holiday, I want to talk to you about being thankful.
And in particular, I want to talk to you about the ways that being thankful, or grateful, can make you healthier, happier, and — get this — heal more quickly!
We may intuitively understand that grateful people are happier and more hopeful, but from a health-perspective, they’re also less likely to be depressed, anxious, or sick.
According to Dr Lissa Rankin’s article “Scientific Proof That Being Thankful Improves Your Health”, in one study, one group of participants were asked to name five things they’re grateful for every day, while another group was asked to list five hassles. Dr Rankin writes that “those expressing gratitude were not only happier and more optimistic, they reported fewer physical symptoms (such as headache, cough, nausea, or acne). Other gratitude studies have shown that those with chronic illnesses demonstrate clinical improvement when practicing regular gratitude.”
Robert Emmons, a psychology professor at the University of California at Davis, has done research that finds that that those who adopt an “attitude of gratitude” as a permanent state of mind experience many health benefits, including:
- Taking better care of themselves physically and mentally
- Engaging in regular exercise
- Choosing a healthier diet
- Improved mental alertness
- Coping better with stress and daily challenges
- Having a stronger immune system
So, how can you engage in a more active “gratitude practice”?
Try keeping a gratitude journal! Start or end your day with taking an extra few minutes to capture all of the things you’re grateful for (from your cats to your mom to your favorite spot in the park) and write them down. This small step can have a profound effect on your outlook on life (I speak from experience).
Not the writing type? Consider expressing gratitude directly to others (who doesn’t want to receive an email or letter letting them know how much you appreciate them?).
Or simply think grateful thoughts! That totally counts too 😉
Here is what I am so grateful for this Thanksgiving:
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So let us know, what are you thankful for? – We’d love to hear from you on our FB page 
You can feel good every day. And we are here to support you.
