Health Coaching Hints.

Research into gratitude has shown that a consistent practice of expressing this emotion can improve physical health, create optimism, increase happiness and improve self-control. All of these can go a long way towards creating the changes we desire regarding our health and well-being. 

Keeping a gratitude journal is one method recommended, yet it is not the only way. Here are a few unique ideas for how to bring consistency to your gratitude practice: 

A Token of Gratitude: Find an object that you find pretty, has an interesting texture, or is from a special place such as a rock or a seashell. Carry this object with you or set it in a highly visible location and use it as a visual and tactile reminder to pause and think of one thing you are grateful for.  

Artful Gratitude: Channel your inner artist and express your appreciation for those around you and the beauty in your life by creating a gratitude jar or tree that you can decorate and then add to by writing down what you are grateful for and adding these pieces of paper to the jar or hang them from the tree. 

Nature-based Gratitude: Create a calming environment in your garden or take a walk through a park that you enjoy and use the time to reflect on what you are grateful for. 

Daily Reflections: Start your day by creating a moment in you morning routine to pause and reflect on what you are grateful for in the day to come. This could be before you get out of bed or while you are enjoying your first cup of coffee. Then end your day by reflecting on all the things that happened that you are grateful for as part of your bedtime routine. Add this in when you are brushing your teeth or after getting into bed.