Giving Thanks: Appreciate More, Worry Less

 

Be Content with Yourself and Your Belongings

In today’s world of being better than the rest, buying a better car and having the best-paying job it’s easy to get sucked into comparing yourself to others and focusing on what you don’t have. But by only focusing on your own little world and what’s missing in your life you can miss out on living a truly grateful life that positively influences those who are around you. To discover true happiness and gratitude within yourself, it’s important to readjust your perspective and don’t judge yourself by outward looking things such as cars, houses, jobs and materialistic goods.

At the end of each day, take a moment to reflect on something good about yourself or a positive situation you experienced. Also, identify ways you can help others or make a difference in someone else’s life moving forward. By stepping outside of yourself and focusing on living in the moment, you will be in a better state of mind to experience real joy and appreciate what you have.


Show Thanks for the People Who Mean the Most

Surrounding yourself with good friends and family members can be one of the most valuable assets in your life. In this day and age with many materialistic tendencies, though, there sometimes isn’t much value placed on just being there for someone.

Get back to the basics of human companionship by reaching out to your friends to make a dedicated effort to grow your relationship and show them that you love them. By communicating your feelings and sharing with others you trust, you can support your friends during their time of need while gaining a fresh perspective on life.

Set a Good Example for the Next Generation

It is never too early to start your kids on the path of giving thanks for what they have. Sometimes, all they need is someone to show them how.


Give Back to the Community You Live In

Canned food drives and turkey donations are popular this time of year. But your community and the less fortunate people who live in it typically need support year round. Reaching out to local groups on a regular basis throughout the year -- whether it’s senior citizens, school-aged children or struggling families -- can be a powerful way for you and your family to provide meaningful support to your own community.

When you give back to the community, it can be a humbling experience when you see firsthand the amount of people in your neighborhoods that don’t have enough food for their families to eat, a roof over their heads or shoes and clothes without holes in them. The simple act of volunteering at a soup kitchen, donating your clothes or providing school supplies for children can make all the difference in your community.

The Long and Short of How Stress Affects Your Health

 

Are you often cranky, lethargic, irritable and unhappy? Do you have consistent headaches, neck pain, tense shoulders and tired back muscles? If this describes your normal disposition then you more than likely are feeling the effects of living an all-too-common stressed-out lifestyle. If you don’t start taking steps to break down the stress in your life soon, then it can ultimately lead to breaking you down both mentally and physically.

Physical Stress Cramps Your Body

One of the most popular places for stress to set up camp is in the neck and back areas. One of the biggest culprits for physical stress is constantly sitting in front of the computer and plugging in to electronic devices.

By sitting too long with your neck and shoulders hunched toward a screen, stress solidifies in your neck and back muscles leading to headaches, pains and strains. Physical stress from sitting and staring at a computer also can show itself in your body in the short term by affecting your lower back, legs, feet and eyes. When ignored or prolonged, physical soreness and stiffness in these areas can lead to arthritis, loss of motion and muscle fatigue.

After a long day of working in the office or the home, relieving daily muscle strain and tension by incorporating the following at-home stress remedies to close out your day.

• Rub a frozen water bottle along the bottom of your feet. Releasing pressure points in your feet is a good way to help release stress.
• Massage the top and back of your legs to get circulation moving when you have your legs propped up to watch your favorite television show.
• Rub a tennis ball along your neck, shoulder blades and spine before bed to help loosen common tight and tense muscles due to stress.

Mental Stress Messes with your Mood and Body

Heated discussions with family or co-workers, long to-do lists and an overscheduled lifestyle might be business as usual in your daily life, but all of the individual pressures you face each day can quickly pile up into a huge heap of mental stress. Mental stress tends to show itself in your attitude toward yourself and others, as well as the way you communicate and interact with the people around you. It also can affect your body physically by flaring up muscle tension in your neck, shoulder blades and at the temples of your forehead. In the long term, mental stress can lead to insomnia, ulcers, internal organ issues, depression and anxiety.

Healthy Lifestyles Stress the Importance of Taking Care of Yourself

Ultimately, it is up to you whether you are going to be a victim of stress or if you are going to take the proper steps to break its vicious cycle. The first step to winning the fight is to take responsibility for the stress in your life and become accountable for minimizing it. The simple act of taking time out for yourself on a regular basis can lead to making big strides toward living a healthy and stress-free lifestyle. By taking a break on a regular basis, you are making it a point to step away from your hectic life, even if it’s just for a few minutes, to relax and release built-up tension.

Implementing the following regular habits into your lifestyle to begin the process of taking care of and time out for yourself.

• Get out and walk around the block each morning or night to move the muscles in your body and get away from the world. Turn off your phone and just tune into taking time for yourself both mentally and physically.
• Leave stress from your job at the office by not bringing work home. At the end of each day, write a list of everything you want to focus on for the following day and leave it on your desk. This can help minimize worrying about work situations during your off hours.
• Schedule regular massage therapy sessions to heal and repair your body by relaxing your muscles and mind. When the body is massaged, it stimulates the release of chemicals in the brain that can help reduce stress and anxiety.

Get on a path to a healthier, happy lifestyle by breaking the pattern of a stressed-out existence. Replace the people and things that are stressing you out with activities and habits that support taking time out for yourself and regularly releasing the tension that builds up throughout your day.

The Labor of Love: Take Care of Yourself to Better Care for Others

Day in and day out we spend our time and energy laboring over the people and things that are important to our lives – careers, spouse, kids, religion, friends, hobbies and so on. While we’re busy serving the needs of everyone around us, we can easily lose sight on the importance of taking care of our own health and wellness.

Shed the Guilt

Putting value on taking care of yourself doesn’t make you selfish, self-centered or egotistical. On the contrary, when you value your self-worth and the importance of taking care of your physical and mental well-being, you’re positioning yourself to better care for others. Taking time for yourself guilt-free on a regular basis also equips you to make a more impactful difference in someone else’s life. Once a day or once a week, schedule one-on-one time with yourself to re-group your thoughts and revitalize your energy.

Feed Your Mind and Body with Healthy Habits
Giving your mind and body a good chance to succeed in life begins with surrounding yourself with plentiful doses of nutrients, praise and a living environment that supports a happy and healthy lifestyle. It’s important to fuel yourself with the proper attention you need by:

• Getting enough sleep. The National Institutes of Health suggest that adults get 7-8 hours of sleep each night.
• Eating a healthy diet. The USDA Dietary Guidelines encourage Americans to consume more healthy foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy products and lean proteins, while consuming less sodium, saturated and trans fats, added sugars and refined grains.
• Drinking enough water. Recent studies have shown that the majority of Americans don’t drink adequate amounts of water. Specific water consumption varies by individual, but factors such as health, activity levels and where you live should be taken into consideration.
• Taking a few minutes of alone time each day to re-focus and balance yourself.
• Surrounding yourself with positive people and influences.

Put on the Brakes
In our always-on-the-go, can-do society, it’s very easy to get sucked into saying “yes” to every incoming request. Try as you may, one person can’t do it all.

Some of the most successful projects and outcomes in life are those that include a group of people working together for a common cause. Avoid the urge to jump in and try to do everything. Instead, say “yes” to others offering their help and only commit to the things you truly love.

If an activity doesn’t suit you, it’s OK to take a step back and say no. You’ll be much better off in the long run and reduce the chances of becoming overwhelmed if you’re more selective about how you spend your time. If you find yourself feeling frazzled and stressed out, don’t be afraid to take a break and spend a few minutes focusing on yourself.

Make a Difference in Someone’s Life
Giving back to your loved ones or community can be a wonderful experience, especially when properly balanced with taking care of yourself. Supporting your friends, family and community members not only helps those in need, but it also can be good for fueling your heart and soul. 

Instead of solely focusing on laboring on others and leaving yourself in the dark this winter, turn on the lights to taking care of yourself too by placing value and importance on your overall health and wellness. Loving yourself and focusing on your individual well-being will naturally lead to being able to care for and support your loved ones, as well as excel in all avenues of your life.