Harnessing Gratitude: Transform Your Well-Being and Mental Health

Can practicing gratitude truly transform your life? Uncover the surprising science behind gratitude and how it can lead to better sleep, reduced stress, and an overall boost in well-being. In today’s episode of Shades of Tone, we explore the powerful role of gratitude in enhancing our mental health and helping us live more authentically. Drawing from personal experiences in the dialysis field, we highlight how appreciating the little things can shift our focus from scarcity to abundance, filling our lives with joy and contentment. 

We also provide practical steps to seamlessly integrate gratitude into your daily routine. From maintaining a gratitude journal to writing heartfelt gratitude letters, and even taking gratitude walks, these exercises can make a significant difference. Learn how small acts of acknowledgment, even during tough times, can keep you grounded and hopeful. By the end of the episode, you'll understand that focusing on the good can indeed make the good get better, enriching your life in meaningful ways. Join us and discover how gratitude can connect you more deeply with your true self and unique journey.

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Chapters

• 0:41 The Power of Gratitude in Well-Being
• 7:24 Cultivating Gratitude for Well-Being

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:42

Well, hello my beautiful people. How are we doing today? Welcome to another episode of Shades of Tone, and today we're going to chat about the role of gratitude in enhancing well-being and authenticity. So y'all always know, I got to start off with a quote and I love this quote by an anonymous person that basically says gratitude turns what we have into enough. So gratitude is not just for Thanksgiving.

Speaker 1: 1:16

I once tried to keep a gratitude journal and by day three I was grateful for tea, my books and the fact that it was a Friday. Clearly I wasn't getting the full picture. But seriously, gratitude isn't just something we pull out of our pockets on Thanksgiving. It's a powerful tool that can boost our well-being and help us live more authentically every single day. So have you noticed just how appreciating the little things can completely change our mood? What if I told you that practicing gratitude could do more than just lift your spirits? Now, what is gratitude, you ask? Gratitude is like hitting the pause button on life to appreciate what's already good, Like that first sip of your fave morning drink or the fact that your socks match, Because we all know sometimes we don't got time to be checking for socks. Look, I'm here and that's all that matters Don't even look at me. So I always found myself feeling extremely grateful after leaving my job in the dialysis field. I was grateful for my health, my mobility, my freedom and the ability to help others not so fortunate. Daily. Although I was extremely empathetic, helping my patients, rendering my service to them brought me joy in that moment.

Speaker 1: 2:35

Gratitude isn't just about the big stuff. It's about those everyday moments that often go unnoticed but can make all the difference. Let's chat about the science of gratitude and why it works. Think of gratitude as your brain's personal cheerleader. Every time you focus on something positive, it's like giving your brain a high five. Dab, dab, dab. When you practice gratitude, your brain releases feel-good chemicals like dopamine and serotonin. It's like your brain's way of saying, hey, life's not so bad after all. I mean, we are here right? There's actually research showing that people who practice gratitude are happier, less stressed and even sleep better. Who knew that counting your blessings could be more effective than counting sheep? Okay, so let's move on to gratitude and well-being. How it makes you feel good being hyper-independent.

Speaker 1: 3:35

I often found myself completing a task or accomplishing a goal and immediately thinking what's next? What do I got to do next? What's up by doing this. I was not aware of my growth. Once I noticed and began to make myself take a pause, celebrate a little or at least take a small break, I became more grateful and allowed myself to appreciate the moment and my wins, big or small, more often. I then noticed a shift. I was more content, less anxious and more present.

Speaker 1: 4:08

Gratitude shifts your focus from what's lacking to what's abundant. It's like switching from a half glass empty to a glass half full mindset. Suddenly, the world just feels a little brighter. So here are a few ways to practice gratitude you can write thank you notes to yourself or start a gratitude jar where you collect moments of joy, Gratitude and authenticity, being your true self. Now you know, I love this because my motto is live in your truth, baby, Whatever your truth is, live in it, bask in it, soak in it. Nobody going to be able to do it like you. Now.

Speaker 1: 4:53

Gratitude helps you connect with your true self. When you're grateful, you're more in tune with what really matters to you, not what society says should matter. Now we all know a celebrity they got all the money and all the fame in the world and miserable and just not happy, just depressed, sad, because money cannot bring you joy. Now, in the words of Kanye West, having money is not everything, not having it is, and that is totally relevant to people that's in poverty and struggle day to day just with the bare necessities such as food, shelter and clothing. But A lot of the times we get a little carried away with what it is that we need or what is considered happiness for ourselves. Gratitude basically helps you appreciate your unique journey, quirks and all. I once found myself grateful for a job I didn't love, because it helped me realize what I truly wanted in my career. I couldn't be authentic outside of my work and my entrepreneurial life because of my worries of what my job would think or ramifications of something against my career's policy or procedures. When you're grateful for who you are and what you have, you're more likely to live authentically Without the pressure to conform to others' expectations.

Speaker 1: 6:20

Here are a few practical gratitude exercises. Exercise one the gratitude journal. Now, you know I love a good journal, so I stopped trying to write epic lists and focused on one or two meaningful things every day, Like the way the morning sun hit my window just right, Except for when I was tired. But let me stop, I digress. I encourage you to write down one thing you're grateful for each day, no matter how small. It's not about quantity, but quality. Sometimes the simplest things bring the most joy. Exercise two Gratitude letters. Try writing a heartfelt letter to someone you're grateful for. Don't worry about whether you send it or not. Writing it down helps you appreciate the people who make your life better, even if it's just your furry friend who listens to all your rants without judgment. I once wrote letters to myself 5, 10, and 15 years ahead of the future, showing gratitude for what I am grateful for in my past that made me who I am today. Exercise three gratitude walk. I love these.

Speaker 1: 7:25

You can try taking a gratitude walk where you notice and appreciate things along the way. It could be the smell of the freshly cut grass, the sound of birds chirping, or just the fact that you're outside and not stuck in a zone meeting. A simple walk helped me notice things I usually overlooked, deepening my sense of gratitude. I even decided to put my walking to a good cause and donate and participate in the walk to end lupus yearly. Let's integrate gratitude into daily life Now.

Speaker 1: 7:58

Making gratitude a habit can transform your outlook on life. It's not just about big moments. It's about making gratitude a daily practice, like brushing your teeth or scrolling through your favorite social media feed when I was going through a rough patch. Focuses on small things I was grateful for, kept me grounded and hopeful. A few more suggestions you could try is to set daily gratitude reminders like sticky notes around the house or a gratitude alarm on your phone. Imagine your phone buzzing with a reminder that says hey, don't forget how awesome your morning coffee or tea was today. Reminder that says hey, don't forget how awesome your morning coffee or tea was today.

Speaker 1: 8:47

So, in conclusion, gratitude is a path to a happier, more authentic life. So motives. The next time you're about to complain about that long line at the supermarket or traffic on the highway, Take a moment to be grateful for the fact that you can afford groceries and you have personal transportation. Motivational note Gratitude is more than just a feel-good practice. It's a powerful tool for enhancing your well-being and living a life that's true to who you are. For my final thought start small, stay consistent and watch how your world changes, Because when you focus on the good, the good gets better, and so does your life. As always, always love.