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Gratitude Creates Happiness

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Happiness GratitudeDid you know that the practice of gratitude can actually create happiness?

Robert Emmons, Ph.D. is a leading gratitude researcher who has conducted multiple studies regarding the relationship between gratitude and well-being. His research shows that the practice of gratitude increases happiness and reduces depression.

The practice of gratitude boosts levels of serotonin and dopamine, which are the brain’s “happy chemicals.”

Practicing gratitude can work even when things aren’t going so well. You don’t actually have to feel spontaneous gratitude in order to produce chemical changes in your brain. All you need to do is to focus on something in your life that you appreciate. Over time, the practice trains your brain to make you feel happier.

Gratitude is natural antidepressant without side-effects!

Gratitude Improves Your Health

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GratitudeDid you know that the practice of gratitude actually improves your physical health?

According to a 2013 study published in Personality and Individual Differences, people who practice gratitude experience fewer aches and pains. They report feeling healthier than other people.

Grateful people are more likely to take care of their health. They exercise more often, and are more likely to attend regular check-ups with their doctors.

Practicing gratitude helps people sleep better. A 2009 study found that the most grateful people had better sleep quality and duration. They were able to fall asleep faster at night, and also had less daytime tiredness.

The key to obtaining the sleep benefits of gratitude seemed to involve what people thought about as they tried to fall asleep. Those practicing gratitude focused on the positive, while the others were consumed by worries and fears. So mentally counting blessings before drifting off can make it easier to fall asleep.

Common ways to focus on gratitude include making “gratitude lists” or keeping a daily diary focused on the things you are grateful for. These practices keep your thinking focused on the positive!

Heaven Sent

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Luke AikinsYesterday I watched the most amazing thing!

Luke Aikins, a 42-year-old husband, father, and third generation sky-diver, jumped out of a plane at 25,000 feet with no parachute or wing-suit, and landed in a 100-by-100 foot net!

Why did he do it?

When a Fox News reporter asked him this question, he shrugged and said that it was “simply the next logical step in a lifetime of extreme challenges.”

I love the fact that we are all different! We want different things, different challenges, and different experiences. This is what makes the world so interesting.

You can watch Luke Aikins’ death-defying jump in this video.

You can learn more about Luke Aikins and Heaven Sent in this video.

What is the “next logical step” in your lifetime of challenges?

Blogging Gets You Comfortable With Being Known

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ConversationBlogging introduces you to the world. You talk about your beliefs, decisions, and worldview.

The blogging process naturally opens up your life to those on the outside.

We all have something to say, even if we don’t think of ourselves as writers or speakers.

A blog gives you a place to say what is on your mind, and to find the people who share your beliefs. It is a great way to connect with others!

Blogging Teaches You Self-Discipline

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DisciplineAnyone who thinks that blogging isn’t challenging has never done it.

It is a challenge to sit down and write, and to do it consistently. It is a challenge to put your ideas out there.

Showing up at regular intervals and coming up with interesting ideas on a regular basis is hard. Blogging helps you cultivate that discipline.

Blogging pushes you to be resourceful. Your imagination gets sharper.

Blogging requires time, commitment, and discipline. Being committed to sit down and write daily or weekly is an important skill.

Some of the best things in life result from self-discipline and delayed gratification. Becoming a better writer is one of those things.

Blogging Helps You Learn

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LearnBlogging is a great way to learn about a topic that you are interested in!

If there are gaps in your knowledge about the topic your are writing about, you will have to learn about it. Blogging forces you to find answers, and teach yourself what you don’t know.

As you write a blog post, thinking about the topic and organizing your thoughts further deepens your understanding.

Blogging is also a way to internalize something you have already learned or experienced.

Blogging As Your Journal

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JournalBelieve it or not, on several occasions, I have had the experience of an individual searching my belongings to find my personal journal and posting it online!

Frankly, I was amazed by the number of people who were interested enough to read it!

Blogging serves as a personal journal. Your blog becomes a digital record of your life that is saved online. It can never be lost, stolen, or destroyed.

Blogging is actually much better than a personal journal. When you start writing about your life and the thoughts that shape it, you begin to think more intentionally about who you are, who you are becoming, and whether you like what you see.

Blogging trains you to be observant and facilitates personal growth. It trains you to focus on what is meaningful for you. It trains you to track your life and articulate what you are experiencing.

I highly recommend it!

Blogging Improves Your Writing

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Blogging WritingWriting is communication. It is about recording your thoughts.

Good writing benefits you in many aspects of your life, whether you are writing a a presentation, a résumé, or simply a card for your best friend.

Like every other form of communication, writing improves with practice. Blogging is great practice!

The blogging process encourages you to pause and think. You will think more deeply about your worldview and the matters that shape your life.

Do you have something that you want to write about?

Blogging For Beginners

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BlogOne of the quickest ways to get started with blogging is to use one of the free blogging sites, such as WordPress.com, Blogger.com, or Typepad.com.

These sites allow you to set up your blog and to write your first blog post within five to ten minutes.

Seth Godin, best-selling author of 18 business and marketing books, has faithfully published a daily blog post on Typepad.com for at least a decade. The blog has a huge readership.

Free blogging sites give you the opportunity to find out if you like blogging before you invest in a domain name, hosting, and a WordPress theme. You don’t even have to put your name on your blog! It is a great way to experiment with posting your ideas.

The Healing Benefits of Prayer

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PrayerDr. Herbert Benson, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, published a best-selling book titled “The Relaxation Response” in 1975. His book was the first to describe the effects of chronic stress on the human body, and the health benefits of meditation and prayer.

There are now over 3,000 articles in the medical literature about this subject. The health benefits of meditation and prayer include an improved sense of well-being, lower stress levels, and lower blood pressure. These practices also shorten hospital stays and lower the incidence of suicide. They have been shown to increase the lifespan by an average of seven years.

Some of the spiritual practices known to promote health and well-being include contemplation, prayer, and yoga. Classes that enhance our creativity like art, music, and dance therapy, also induce the relaxation response. So do activities such as journaling or attending spiritual retreats.

Everyone is different. You will probably need to experiment to find the practices that work best for you. It is definitely worth the effort!

Reference: Discover the Healing Power of Prayer, by John K. Graham, M.D., The Houston Chronicle, July 23, 2016.

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