Why Gratitude? It’s More Than Just Feeling Good!

Science has discovered a powerful tool to combat stress and cultivate a thriving mindset: A Gratitude Practice.

Forget the #gratitude hashtags – this is about cultivating a genuine appreciation for the good things in your life, on a daily basis.

Here's how a daily gratitude practice impacts your mental, physical, and emotional well-being, supporting brain-friendly work environments:

• Reduces Stress and Anxiety: Gratitude shrinks stress hormones like cortisol, and helps activate the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest mode) in your brain.

• Boosts Positive Emotions: Cultivating positive emotions daily has a cumulative effect. This can enhance your intellectual, physical, psychological, and social resources.

• Strengthens Resilience: Gratitude doesn't mean pretending life is perfect. But by focusing on the good, you build resilience to bounce back when challenges arise.

• Improves Self-Esteem:: Gratitude practice encourages kind and loving self-talk, which strengthens your relationship with yourself and builds a positive self-image.

• Better Sleep: Gratitude activates the hypothalamus, a part of the brain that regulates sleep. Plus, it releases oxytocin – the "love hormone" – promoting deeper sleep.

• Stronger Work Relationships: Expressing gratitude to colleagues strengthens bonds. Your brains release dopamine and serotonin, promoting positive interactions and fostering a collaborative work environment.

Your brain and your body have a lot to do each day. If you don’t take time to nurture yourself - your brain and body will tell you via subtle or not so subtle hints or a big fat NO. It is so hard to recover from burnout - so prevention is really important.