Grateful Schmateful, What’s The Difference…

The difference could be much bigger than you think!

Researchers from the University of Illinois did a survey on how gratitude -- just being thankful -- affected physical health.  The answer was "significantly"! You're more likey to stick to health goals when you're feeling positive...and to remain positive, it helps to be appreciative.  So it's really one big, fat grateful circle!

I know, TRUST ME, I know how difficult it can be some days to even say "thank you" to the person serving you coffee.  When you're having a bad day, when everything seems to go wrong, takes longer than usual, or comes crashing down around you for no reason at all, our go-to is usually to put all our focus on just how crappy the day (and everything in it) is...therefore, the rest of it will be as well.  And whether you believe in "The Secret" or not (the law of attraction), whatever you put your focus on...is what you get more of.  I challenge you to prove me wrong.

Life isn't always puppies and rainbows.  Sometimes, it just plain sucks!  However, the minute you feel yourself pulling in that direction -- and you will -- of throwing in the towel on a crappy day, take one minute, one second, to think of what you CAN be grateful for.  Is there a roof over your head?  Have you eaten food today?  Do you have shoes on your feet?  Are you able to read this?  Do you have access to the internet?  Obviously, those last two are rhetorical...but two things that you should indeed be grateful for -- right now -- because there are many who would kill for those two things.

Look, this isn't the old fashioned "there are starving children in China" thing your parents used to lay on you.  This is a "think about right NOW" thing I'm laying on you.  I think you'll find in the 2 seconds it takes you to really think about how fortunate you are, you'll start to feel just a little bit better. ;)

<3 Take care of each other. <3
LD