November is National Gratitude Month

Greeting’s Readers! 

November is National Gratitude Month, and the perfect opportunity to reflect on all that you are grateful for. Can you think of a few things you are grateful for? Hold that thought, because before we dive any further into gratitude, here are this week’s affirmations: 

  • I appreciate all the things my wonderful body allows me to do.

  • I am thankful for the ability to learn, develop, and grow.

  • I can show thanks to those who have helped me, and in turn, help others. 

Gratitude; the positive state of being grateful; an overwhelming feeling of appreciation and thankfulness, and the desire to return kindness to others.

While November is a good time to reflect on all the things you are grateful for, looking for things in your day-to-day life every day can increase your health and improve your mood. The act of practicing gratitude has been shown to have both mental and physical health benefits including decreasing stress and aggression, improving self-esteem, improving relationships, and physical positives such as better sleep. Those who practice gratitude are often more resilient and all-around happier.

So how do we practice gratitude? Practicing gratitude is the act of acknowledging the things or people you are grateful for, including yourself, and acting upon it. This can look different for different people, so we have listed a few ideas of how you can start practicing gratitude today in your life.

  • Gratitude journaling: Each day, write down at least 3 things you are grateful for. Whether you choose to write in-depth about them or just bullet pointing them, this act trains your brain to look for the positives and things to be grateful for in your day rather than the negatives. 

  • Gratitude Jar/Box: Instead of keeping a journal, write down the things you are grateful for and add them to a box, jar, or any container of your choosing. Then, when you have had a bad day, you can reflect on all the positives you’ve written and added to your container. 

  • Write a letter: Acknowledging those that we are grateful for is the first step to practicing gratitude. The next step is to act on it. If you are grateful for someone, tell them. Write a letter, give them a call or have a face-to-face conversation with them. Telling someone how grateful you are for them strengthens relationships. We like to hear when people are grateful for us, so practice treating others the way you want to be treated by showing your gratitude! 

  • Create a gratitude board: Putting your ideas and thoughts onto a gratitude board allows you to see and reflect on the things you are grateful for. To create your gratitude board, gather pictures, words, or other items that symbolize what you are grateful for, and put it onto your board! This can be done on paper or even virtually! Place your gratitude board in a location where you will see it often, such as on a bedroom wall, at your work desk, or as your wallpaper on a cellphone or other electronic device. 

These are just 4 ideas for practicing gratitude today! There are dozens of ways to practice gratitude, so pick one, try it and if it doesn’t work out, try another! Try them all! 

Touchstone Health Services Prevention Department is currently implementing the Positive Action program in the Alhambra School District. Positive Action is based on the intuitive philosophy that we feel good about ourselves when we do positive actions. Students learn that one positive action is the act of practicing gratitude and being thankful for their bodies and people in their lives while also learning positive ways to express their gratitude. This is just one of the evidence-based programs that Touchstone Health Services offers. To learn more about the programs offered, visit https://carecoalitionaz.org/available-programs/

Here’s how YOU can be a Prevention Partner:

  • Enroll yourself or your youth into one of the programs offered by Touchstone Health Services. Visit https://carecoalitionaz.org/available-programs/ to learn more about the programs offered. 

  • Practice gratitude today using one of the suggestions listed above. Share your idea with a friend or a family member. Spread the word so everyone can practice gratitude! 

  • Create a gratitude board and share it with us! Tag us on Instagram at @CareCoalitionAZ and on Facebook at Care Coalition!