November
Finding One Good Thing
Gratitude doesn't mean being thankful - that's synonymous. Gratitude is a thought process. It's choosing to feel good about the things you do have or finding the good in a situation. We can't always control the bad things that happen to us or our family, but we always have a choice within our situation. Sometimes that means finding just one good thing in your world.
Our mental and physical health are connected. Gratitude helps us be healthier in many ways:
Regulating challenging emotions
Improving sleep
Decreasing risk of disease
Lessening chronic pain
Boosting immunity
Helping with anxiety and depression
Lowering overall stress
To Practice at Home:
Identify how you feel in a hard situation
Practice deep breathing - take 10 slow, balloon breaths
Find one good thing
Take that thought throughout your day - consider thanking someone that made you feel better!
Mindfulness
Mindfulness helps us focus during our hard days. It gives our mind and body a break and lowers our stress hormone. It helps us step away from our emotions long enough to be able to come back to them with a clearer, calmer mindset.
If you need a break, find a video online, turn off the lights, lay down on the floor, and close your eyes. As students have said, it helps us feel "calmer, more relaxed, happy, and peaceful." Sometimes it brings up emotions that we need to work through. It can be hard to hold still for 3 minutes, but it can be strengthened through practice!