Benefits of gratitude, plus a guided gratitude meditation

​

Tomorrow is the beginning of advent. It begins on the Sunday four weeks before Christmas Eve. If I were in Austria where I grew up, I would have an advent wreath on my dining room table. The wreath is woven from evergreen twigs and decorated with ribbons and four thick candles. On each of the four Sundays leading up to Christmas, one more candle on the wreath is lit at dinnertime.

​

Showing gratitude

Back here in the US (my adopted home for the past 32 years), we celebrated Thanksgiving on Thursday. Thanksgiving is associated with giving thanks, with showing gratitude. While 2020 hasn't been what we expected, there are still plenty of things we can be grateful for. Remembering those things is an important practice and is scientifically shown to make us happier.

​

What are 3-5 things that you're grateful for today? I invite you to take a moment right now to think about 3-5 things you're grateful for today. These don't need to be life-changing things, but everyday simple things.

​

Here is my list of what I'm grateful for today:

1. My recently adopted cat
2. My health
3. The support of my friends and family
4. The book I'm currently reading
5. My Lindt chocolate advent calendar

​
Studies show that focusing on gratitude helps lower stress and alleviate depression. You might want to try to cultivate gratitude year-round. You could write down three things you're grateful for every evening before going to bed.

Guided gratitude meditation for stress relief

​

Finally, I know that meditation isn't everyone's cup of tea. If you're into meditation or want to give it a try, I've prepared a 5 minute guided meditation for you that's focused on gratitude:

Click here to access my guided gratitude meditation​

Wishing you a nice weekend.
​
Be well,
Christine

P.S. If you want to do something good for your body during this holiday season and beyond, I invite you to book a private online yoga session with me. Whether you are a beginner or advanced yogi, the great aspect of private yoga is that I tailor the practice to your specific needs and you get to pick the time that works best for you. Click here to learn more.​

P.P.S. If you enjoyed this article and want to get practical tips and tools about wellness directly in your inbox every Saturday morning, I invite you to sign up for my wellness newsletter:

Wellness & Yoga with Christine

Inspiring you to bring wellness into your life and providing you with tools to do so.
​