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Gratitude

The Science of Gratitude (mindful.org)

Research shows gratitude isn’t just a pleasant feeling—being grateful can also support greater health, happiness, and wisdom in ourselves and our communities In the past two decades, a growing body of evidence in the field of social science has found that gratitude has measurable benefits for just about every area of our lives. Gratitude appears to contribute substantially to individual well-being and physical health. So much so that the Greater Good Science Center at the University of...

Healing Begins With Gratitude (lionsroar.com)

“The great open secret of gratitude,” writes Joanna Macy, “is that it is not dependent on external circumstance. It’s like a setting or channel that we can switch to at any moment, no matter what’s going on around us.” Photo by Harry Burk. We have received an inestimable gift. To be alive in this beautiful, self-organizing universe—to participate in the dance of life with senses to perceive it, lungs that breathe it, organs that draw nourishment from it—is a wonder beyond words. It is an...

Educators Thrive in the Classroom

It’s back-to-school time and I am so happy to see all the teachers and students back in their classrooms doing what they do best: teaching, learning, and choosing love! September kicked off the start of the school year and thankfully I’ve been able to travel, in person, to visit schools in seven states around the U.S. who are using the Choose Love For Schools program, and to also virtually check in with many more. It made my heart happy to see all those classrooms bustling with activity.

Failing our Children -- What You Can Do to Help

Co-authored by Leanne McEvoy, a mother of two and advocate for children's mental health and well-being who is passionate about making sure kids have solid emotional foundations to navigate life. She holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Social Work with a concentration in children and families and has advocated for improved policy and legislation around school safety. This is a true story shared with me but something similar might be unfolding near you as well. Recently, a ten year old boy’s...

How Do You Want to Live Your Life

I had a good life prior to December 14, 2012, the day of the Sandy Hook tragedy that took my six-year-old son Jesse's life. I was a single mom with a full-time job, a first and seventh grader, living on a horse farm with a wonderful mother/grandmother living nearby to help, and a supportive extended family. Always on the go, I woke up early, went to bed late, and would list the day’s accomplishments in my head each night. When I woke in the morning I would thank God for another opportunity...

Honoring and Remembering My Precious Son

June is Jesse’s birthday month. Each year, since my six-year-old son’s murder in the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy in 2012, people from all over the world continue to come together in the form of concerts, 5K’s, and online events to honor, remember, and celebrate all the lives lost on this tragic day. In a recent interview with a reporter, as we were talking about my organization’s annual Month of Fun fundraiser, he exclaimed how amazed he was that Jesse’s spirit seemed to continue to...

Horses Teach Us How to Connect on a Human Level

I have always loved horses. When I was a young girl I collected plastic Breyer model horses, read books about horses, and even watched television shows that had an equine theme. I think it is their exquisite beauty, their inherent wild nature, and the vulnerable and trusting relationship between horse and rider that is the attraction. I purchased my first horse when I was twelve, spending a year cutting lawns, weeding, and babysitting, eventually raising enough money along with my parents’...

3 Gratitude Rituals for Joy and Wonderment (wakeup-world.com)

New research is showing that a gratitude practice doesn’t only make you happier and more fulfilled, but can also save your life. A study from the University of California San Diego’s School of Medicine discovered that people who were more grateful had better heart health — specifically less inflammation and healthier heart rhythms. The study’s author, Paul J. Mills, explains, Gratitude is good for you! But don’t take our word for it. Try it out for yourself and see if it makes a difference.

A 10-Minute Gratitude Practice to Notice, Shift, and Rewire Your Brain (mindful.org)

When we find ourselves in a rut , it becomes easier to focus on what’s wrong and minimize what’s right. This gratitude practice is designed to change that; its aim is to amplify the experience of optimism . Hundreds of studies show that this simple shift leads to enhanced mood, better relationships, and even enhanced physical health. A 10-Minute Gratitude Practice to Notice, Shift, and Rewire To read Nate Klemp's article, and access the 10-minute gratitude practice, please click here.

Be Grateful and Add Positivity to Your Life

A global pandemic. Social unrest. A contentious election year. Is it possible to be grateful in this environment? YES! Actually, the stressors actually make it even more imperative! Our ultimate goal as humans, for our children and ourselves, is to flourish. Gratitude is the number one way to shift our focus from negative to positive and facilitate growth in our lives. It sounds simple, and it is, but it’s not always easy. How can we be grateful when it seems like everything is falling apart...

What Science Reveals About Gratitude’s Impact on the Brain (mindful.org)

New research sheds light on the physiology of gratitude, bringing us closer to being able to understand and harness the health benefits of this powerful emotion. How Gratitude Strengthens the Mind-Body Connection Given the clear relationship between mental and physical health, I thought that understanding what happens in the brain when we feel gratitude could tell us more about the mind-body connection—namely, how feeling positive emotion can improve bodily functions. I also thought these...

The Method For Receiving Infinite Support and The Power of Gratitude and Appreciation

Those who struggle with ACE’s have a tendency to focus on the negative as a means of self-protection. We fear opening our hearts because of the brutality we experienced in early childhood when our hearts were already open. It takes a tremendous amount of inner work to free our energy from continuing to produce the false barrier of protection, which constitutes our barrier to experiencing all of the love and joy and support that we long for. In this article I offer an alternative view that...

Can Gratitude Be Good for Your Heart? [greatergood.berkeley.edu]

Could saying “thank you” help you to live longer? For many decades, behavioral cardiology studied only the impact of so-called “negative traits”—such as stress, depression , and anxiety—on people with cardiovascular disease. The field got its start in the late 1950s with the work of cardiologists Meyer Friedman and Ray Rosenman , who found that “Type A” behavior—characterized by hostility, time urgency, and competitiveness—doubled the risk of coronary heart disease. Over the next five...

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