Counselor's Corner: Health Benefits of Being Thankful

Here’s a revelation, God does not owe us anything. He has already given His life as a ransom for our sins. Somehow we believe we deserve more and better. In our western culture and particularly with the millennia generation (generation x), there is a sense of entitlement.

We enter into sin when we begin to complain about our circumstances. I am not discounting heartache and hardships. I know firsthand about getting dealt a “bad hand” in life, but sometimes you have to play the hand you were dealt. There are a lot of people who are angry with God, and displeased with their lives. It is okay to work out your anger with God, but don’t stay there!

What if we started focusing on what is right with our lives, as opposed to everything that is wrong with our lives? Our attitude about things is actually more important than what happens to us. You may be thinking, “How can I be grateful when my life is a mess? “This may be true, but there is ALWAYS something to be grateful for.

►There are even benefits to being grateful, such as improved immune system, feelings of connectedness, a positive outlook on life, boosts your well-being, and benefits your cardiovascular system. Being grateful protects you from negative emotions that can come from extreme loss. WEBMD reported that gratitude can help boost feelings of belonging and decrease feelings of stress. Emotionally, gratitude can foster positive emotions, make you more relaxed, and even more resilient. Gratitude has been linked as well to being less self-centered, increased self-esteem, healthier marriage, more and deeper friendships, increased energy, and improved work performance such as time management and goal achievement.

Life is continually filled with distractions and circumstances that can cause us to not focus on what God has done for us. If we are not mindful to refocus our attention to our blessings, bitterness and anger can seep in. When we shift our anxiety and burdens to the Lord, we exchange these weights for peace, which in turn causes thanksgiving.

Keep a daily gratitude journal or say verbally out loud at least (5) things that you are grateful for. Counting your blessings instead of your counting your woes can lead to improved health, relationships, emotions, and career. It will even improver your relationship with God.

“Let us thank God heartily as often as we pray that we have His Spirit in us to teach us to pray. Thanksgiving will draw our hearts out to God and keep us engaged with Him. It will take our attention from ourselves and give the Spirit room in our heart.”

-Andrew Murray (1827-1917), South African born missionary and minister.

Psalm 118:24 ESV

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Colossians 3:17 ESV

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 ESV

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Psalm 136:1 ESV

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endure

* For additional reading on this topic and how to have a better attitude and a more disciplined thought life, check out my new book, "Disciplining your mind, 30 days to a new you," click on the book title to purchase or find at Amazon or Barnes and Nobles. 

Counselor's Corner: Choosing to be Thankful

If you are like me, being thankful and appreciative doesn’t always come naturally. I have had many trials and heartbreaks that have caused me at times to reflect a little too much on them. I have learned I have to choose to be thankful. Every day, I get out my journal and write out five things that I am thankful for. Writing down my blessing serves as a visual reminder to me that I have more in my life than I think I do. I need this reminder daily! I can always find things to complain and grumble about, believe me I have my fair share of problems and heartaches, but I choose to reflect on what I do have.

When we have an attitude of gratitude, our lives will be transformed.

You might think you do not have a lot to be thankful for, but look around you-there are others who go through far worse circumstances. I’m I belittling your pain? Not at all! I have to tell myself the same things because I have seen so much heartache and loss in my own life. Being thankful is a conscience decision that will change your life for the better.

You can be bitter about your life’s difficulties or you can be better because of them. You get to choose!

If we choose to look at our lack in life or what we don’t have, we can become cynical, hard-hearted, thankless, unappreciative, bitter and even depressed. Being thankful has health benefits, such as fewer aches and pains and overall feeling healthy. Thankful people take better care of themselves by exercising more and eating healthier. Thankfulness also reduces toxic emotions like bitterness, envy and frustration, and decreases depression. Thankfulness also reduces stress, improves self-esteem, and helps overcome trauma. Being thankful can boost your immune system and improve your heart rhythms.

Be aware of what you are thankful for and choose to reflect and ponder daily on all the positives in your life. Be thankful for the small things in your life. CHOOSE to change your focus from what you don’t have to what you do have.

There Are Heath Benefits to Counting Your Blessings

Feeling down? Want a technique to immediately lift your mood? Think about something that you are thankful for! Repeating this daily can permanently change and lift your mood. This will also have the potential to effect those closest to you. You have the potential to rewire your brain by continual grateful thoughts.

Focusing on your blessings instead of what you do not have can bring real health benefits. Thinking about all what you do not have or lack can have the opposite effect, and it can produce negative health issues. There is always something that you can be thankful for. This can be a bit of a challenge if you have gone through many trials and heartaches. If you had formed a habit of thinking about all that is wrong in your life, it will take some time to form a new habit of choosing thankfulness.

Benefits to becoming more thankful:

An increase of good feelings. Grateful people tend to be optimistic, thus creating more feel good emotions.

Overall you will have a greater sense of well-being, contentment, relaxation, and calmness.

Happier memories. You can choose to be thankful for the good that was in your past and not reflect and dwell on all the negative components.

Less envious of others. Gratitude reduces a multitude of toxic emotions, such as envy, regret, frustration, and resentment. Gratitude has been linked to increased happiness and reduction of depression.

Healthier marriage. Being thankful for the little things your spouse does can make your relationship stronger, instead of pointing out the wrong that they do.

More friendships. Gratitude deepens friendships.

Improved sleep. Spending as little as 10-15 minutes daily reflecting on your blessings can help you sleep better, especially before bedtime.

Get sick less often, and grateful people experience fewer aches and pains and feel overall healthier. 

Grateful people take better care of themselves.

Increased energy, empathy, and optimism.

Increase in self-esteem and value and appreciate the accomplishments of others.

More productive at work, as well as better time management and goal achievement.

Reduces stress and new research is showing that gratitude reduces trauma. Recognizing all that you have to be thankful for, especially during tough times can make you more resilient. Being grateful can help you cope with daily problems better.

Able to let go of controlling outcomes. You do the best that you can do and work towards the best possible outcome, but you are able to let-go and let the “chips” fall where they may. Being thankful for allowing your life to happen on God’s terms allows for greater peace.

Allow others to be a work in progress as well as yourself. If you’re in a continual state of being grateful for all progress that you and others make, in turn it will make you happier with yourself and others. Being able to accept yourself and others, creates harmony and peace.

Feeling sorry for yourself, having self-pity, or complaining will decrease your mental, spiritual, and physical health. Try exchanging self-pity with gratitude and see if you feel a difference. Change your focus from reflecting on what is lacking in your life, to what is good in your life. Being grateful redirects your focus from what is troubling or worrying you, to what is good. Gratitude separates our attitude from our circumstances so that our current reality does not drag us down.

Being grateful is not just a one day occurrence, it must be cultivated daily to reap the benefits. You can choose to say your blessings out loud or even write them out. Start your day off right, FIRST THING in the morning CHOOSE to say something you are grateful for. It will get your day started on a positive note.

This is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

Giving thanks always for all things to God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:20

What about you, what are you thankful for today? Share with our readers.