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mary e. VandenaCK Mary Vandenack, while a lawyer by profession, has studied extensively in mind/body areas of fitness and wellness. She is Yoga Alliance RYT-200, Power Pilates certified and ACE certified.
WHAT HAS gratitude practice “Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson THERE ARE A LOT OF QUALITIES THAT MAKE GOOD LEADERS. PRACTICING MINDFULNESS CAN CULTIVATE THESE QUALITIES. Scientific studies have shown that gratitude can improve our health, our wellbeing and our resilience. Engaging in a practice of gratitude can result in a person having a greater capacity for positive emotions.
~ William Shakespeare
What exactly is gratitude? Various dictionaries define gratitude as “the state of being thankful.” A definition found in psychiatric research is “the appreciation of what is valuable and meaningful to oneself and represents a general state of thankfulness and/or appreciation.” Robert A. Emmons, author of the book Thanks, writes that gratitude consists of two components. The first is acknowledgement of goodness in our lives. We may have something that exists already in our lives or we might receive something that we appreciate. The second aspect involves recognition of goodness that exists outside ourselves (although many of us also need to acknowledge that goodness exists within). Why is gratitude important? A regular gratitude practice can deepen well-being, improve relationships, result in greater ability to deal with difficult life situations and help one refocus on that which is positive when life circumstances are difficult. A gratitude practice can help one with both mental and physical health. How do I practice gratitude? Gratitude meditation: Many think of meditation as sitting on a mat in a quiet space; however, meditations can be achieved in many forms. As an alternate to a sitting meditation, one might engage in a walking meditation. Personally, during the summer, I love a walk before everyone else is up. There are numerous guided gratitude meditations readily available on the internet or through a meditation app. The key to a gratitude meditation is simply focusing on that which you are grateful for.
Gratitude journal: Keep a gratitude journal. You can write detailed lists of things you are grateful for or you can note a word or two. In my gratitude journal, I save notes and articles given to me by others. While reducing home clutter recently, I was going through a drawer and planned to toss everything in it. However, I came across an old gratitude journal that contained a collection of notes and articles I had received during one of my most grateful life periods. I moved that journal to a more readily available location. Gratitude jar: One year, a friend gave me a blessings jar for Christmas. He made me a pile of slips on which I could note blessings and put a few samples in the jar for me. Over a period of time, I filled the blessings jar with slips. Then, when I felt down, I would pull several of the slips from the blessings jar and read those notes to help me refocus on what I am grateful for. Opening conversations with gratitude: I used to love teaching parent/child yoga classes. At the end of each class, I would ask both parent and child to express one thing about the other for which each was grateful. Those moments often resulted in hugs, tears, and expressions of love between parent and child that were unforgettable to me.
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mmagazine • JUne 2020
