Here comes November, with it's chilly days, return to Standard Time, and, of course, Thanksgiving.  The name says it all...this holiday is about feeling grateful for what we have.  Gratitude, like many positive emotions, provides health benefits, encourages creativity, and improves problem-solving skills.  Wow, how can a simple emotion do all that, you ask...

 

The short answer is, authentic gratitude allows you to feel safe and protected.  It releases chemicals in the body that are the opposite of the "fight or flight" response.   This happy hormonal mix courses through your body, sending out the signal, "It's all good!", so that you can relax and regenerate. Since your energy isn't focused on watching your proverbial back, you have easier access to the higher-functioning areas of the brain.  Conversely, fake gratitude not only fails to provide these benefits, but can be hazardous to your health! The body prefers to stick with the truth, and cognitive dissonance can show up in a variety of physical ills.  (To learn more about this fascinating field of body/mind research, check out  Barbara Fredrickson's groundbreaking book, Positivity.) 

 

So how do we get more of the real thing?  The good news is, it costs nothing and can take as little as 10 minutes per week.  Like anything worth developing, however, you will need to make a commitment.  In the yoga community we refer this as a"practice",  a specific series of action steps that you engage in regularly which create the result you are seeking.  This can be anything from a formal Gratitude Journal to some quick notes that you jot down on scraps of paper and keep under a paperweight.  My advice is to start where you are, run some "experiments" and see what excites and energizes you.  There are no "shoulds" in this process, so let your inner-critic take the day off.  The only guideline is that your gratitude gems truly inspire you, make your heart sing, and put a smile on your face.  Ready to start your practice?  Read on...