Have you ever felt grumpy? Or angry? Or worried? It's impossible to feel happy when you feel negative emotions. The fastest way to shake a bad mood is to count your blessings. Gratitude refocuses us on what we have. Anger, worry, grumpiness, and other negative emotions usually center around what we don't have or what might come in the future. Gratitude brings us into the present moment and returns our focus to what we have, what is good, and what is well. If you want one thing that can dramatically change your life, practice gratitude.
Gratitude effects extend far beyond our mood. Gratitude empowers health mentally, emotionally, physically, and especially spiritually. Read on for the amazing ways gratitude brings about positive health in your life.
Gratitude has profound effects on mental health by reducing anxiety and depression. Practicing gratitude rewires our brains to experience positive thoughts and emotions, which leads to greater joy, more happiness, helps in in our grief, and our overall well-being.
It may not be obvious at first, but gratitude has profound effects on our physical health. The many ways gratitude brings about better mental health manifests in our bodies. Without dwelling on the negative thoughts and emotions, we experience better sleep and lower inflammation in our bodies, which leads to a stronger immune system. Studies have shown gratitude helps those who have experienced trauma to lessen the effects of PTSD and to heal from the trauma, even after much time has passed.
Gratitude's effects on spirituality are numerous. Self-actualization is the fulfillment of your full potential as a person. Very few get to this spiritual peak in life, but gratitude accelerates the process, and all of the spiritual giants possess gratitude in vast sums. The grateful person has increased empathy and therefore experiences greater relationships. Gratitude increases our resiliency and inner strength. Gratitude gives us a connection to the world beyond us and to the entire universe.
Now that you can see the amazing benefits of gratitude, how can you develop more of it in your life?
And as always, ensure that you take time to speak words of gratitude to God/Higher Power/Spirit.
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Hello Friends!
Hi, my name is Melissa Ebken, and I'm so glad you found your way here.
I help people like you to become grounded in their spiritual beliefs and practices, and grow in their faith. Connecting with the Divine is as natural as drawing a breath - yet sometimes we struggle to separate our intuition and imagination from genuine spiritual encounters, often believing those experiences are beyond our grasp. To begin, I will help you understand your spiritual personality so you can more easily engage with your Higher Power. Then, I will listen. I have found that having a "Holy Listener" allows you to explore your spiritual life and express your thoughts, feelings, and emotions related to your spirituality. Your connection, relationship, and communication with your Higher Power will broaden and deepen.
I have served churches for 25+ years and strive to support people as they grow spiritually and emotionally. I believe that our spiritual lives fuel our physical and emotional experience of life, and I seek to help others connect with their deepest and most authentic self. I began the fiLLLed spiritual direction program to create a safe space for people to explore their spirituality and grow their faith.
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