Amy was so frustrated. It seemed as if a dark cloud had been following her around all week and just kept raining down on her.

Nothing was going her way. In fact, things weren’t going well at all.

To start the week, she got a flat tire. Then, her credit card got stolen and her best friend had to back out of the trip they had planned. Not to mention this was the second day in a row her alarm clock hadn’t gone off, and she was late… again.

Amy was focusing solely on all the negative things that were happening, and it was greatly affecting her outlook on life.

We’ve all had a week like Amy – where everything that could go wrong seemed to be going wrong.

While it’s easy to focus on the bad and get caught up in negative thoughts and emotions, it’s important to always remember to be grateful for everything that’s going right.

GRATITUDE AND YOUR HEALTH

There is a definite link between having gratitude and being happy, having an increased sense of well-being, and having better health.

Psychologists, Dr. Robert A. Emmons and Dr. Michael E. McCullough, have done quite a bit of research on gratitude.

One study focused on having their participants write a few sentences each week, focusing on either grateful events, daily irritations, or events that had an impact with no emphasis on a positive or negative reaction.

They did this for ten weeks, and at the end of that timeframe, the group who had focused on recording grateful events were more optimistic and generally felt better about their lives.

In addition to that, they exercised more than the other group and had fewer doctor visits than the group that solely focused on their daily irritations.

Dr. Martin E. P. Seligman, a psychologist, is a leading researcher in the field of positive psychology. He performed a study including a group of over 400 people who he had write and personally deliver a letter of gratitude to someone who had never been properly thanked for something they had done.

There was an immediate increase in happiness scores after this assignment, and the benefits lasted throughout the entire month!

Now you know what the health coaches certified at the Institute of Transformational Nutrition know, the more grateful we are, the better we feel.

A simple way to begin focusing on gratitude each day is to make a conscious effort to openly express it at least once an hour. Setting an alarm on your phone will help!

Use these three affirmations to get started.

3 GRATITUDE AFFIRMATIONS THAT CAN HELP IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH

1. “I give thanks now for my life of health, happiness, and self-expression.”

It might be difficult to begin openly expressing your gratitude when you’re used to focusing on the negative. If that’s the case for you, start with something simple like giving thanks for your health and self-expression to get in the habit of expressing how thankful you are.

2. “All things are now working together for good in my life.”

This doesn’t have to mean that everything in your life is perfect – that’s likely not the case. However, it’s important to begin seeing those negative pieces of your life in a positive light.

How are they working to change you? Are they pushing you in a direction you never thought you’d go before? How are they working to mold you into the person you want to be?

Try to remember that everything in your life, whether it be good or bad, is molding you, changing you, and can work to better you if you let it!

3. “I experience gratitude for everything I have in my life.”

If it’s hard to start expressing your gratitude with a blanket expression like this, then begin focusing on individual items.

Give thanks for a roof over your head, food on the table, and clothes on your back. Give thanks for the air you’re breathing, your family, or a good book.

Start small, and work your way up!

TO WRAP IT UP

There is an intuitive knowing that the more gratitude we have, the better we feel.

Here at ITN, we know that every individual is different and needs a personalized experience. If these affirmations don’t suit you, create your own!

Simply find three things to give thanks for in your life, whatever they might be, and begin expressing gratitude.

You’ll be amazed at how much better you feel!

What is one thing you are grateful for today? Share it in the comments!

Looking for more? Check out these 20 Ways To Increase Your Vibrational Frequency!