Thanksgiving is a week and many of us will be giving thanks for our family, friends, food, freedom, and so much more. In fact, this month Vessel is encouraging people to show gratitude for their body and the way it serves them every day. Gratitude is something that should be a part of your every day life, and by making a point to do it, you can actually change your entire mindset and life approach.

Science Says Gratitude is Good For You

Science has shown so many benefits to practicing gratitude. It can increase health, promote better relationships, and even change your brain!

According to Psychology Today, showing gratitude triggers the “parasympathetic or calming part of the nervous system… and that can have protective benefits for the body—including decreasing levels of the stress hormone cortisol and increasing oxytocin, the bonding hormone involved in relationships that make us feel good.”

It can also lower cortisol levels, increase cardiac functioning, and help combat anxiety and depression. The Psychology Today article even explains that scientists believe gratitude can even alter the way we see ourselves. That’s HUGE.

Showing Thanks (For Your Body)

This month’s studio challenge is all about being thankful for your body and learning to show gratitude for what it does for us every day. If we believe the article above’s claim that we can actually alter the way we see ourselves by practicing giving thanks everyday, then we really have no reason not to try it out.

Here are some ways to show your body how much you appreciate it:

• Write a love letter to your body. Spend a little time telling it what you love about it.
• Take time each day to write down one thing you are grateful you can do because of the body you have.
• Read over that list every day to remind yourself why you’re blesed.
• Take care of your body – eat well, move daily, get enough sleep, etc.
• Notice your mental health. Make sure you’re creating boundaries and taking care of your emotional and mental status.
• Listen. Your body speaks to you. Listen to what it needs.

This incredible article from mindful.org gives so much information about how to practice gratitude and how it can affect you from the inside out.

Throw Gratitude Around Like Confetti!

The saying “throw kindness around like confetti” can be applied to gratitude as well. Honestly, what better way to look at the world than through the lens of thankfulness. Be thankful for your body, for your life, for your health, and for the blessings you’ve been given every single day. A grateful heart leads to better health physically, emotionally, relationally, and mentally. Give it a shot! Sprinkle that thanks everywhere!