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Count Blessings, Not Sheep


"Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings." ~William Arthur Ward

Little Gems of Wisdom & Fun from Mary Lynn Ziemer

If you live in the U.S., you'll be celebrating a holiday this weekend that is focused on one of the most powerful feelings we can express... the feeling of gratitude. But, we don't need to celebrate Thanksgiving in order to have more gratitude than ever before. We can have more fun by living life more deliberately in the present moment. Enjoy how wonderful it feels to be grateful for everything you have right now, big and small. Then, watch all of those blessings multiply for you. Remember, you get what you focus on with emotion. So, when you feel grateful for what you already have, with certainty, you will always receive more of it.

Start by focusing on a few things you’re grateful for in your life before you even get out of bed. Say “Thank you” and “I love you” as you feel love and gratitude for your comfy bed and pillows, your pet, your loved ones, or even just the floor that you have to stand on.

Now, say to yourself, "Today is the best day of my life. I have lots of fun, and I smile and laugh often." Then, as you go through your day, find what you are grateful for in that moment, keeping a smile on your face. No matter what you are doing, tell yourself that you are grateful for that activity, the people you are with, and everything that you have that makes your life convenient, easy, and enjoyable in that moment. You will always feel best when you bask in the delight of your life right now.

Place your full attention on friends and family as you share your Thanksgiving meal, without your phone nearby. Set aside any distracting thoughts you might have by "flipping the switch to joy," to your preferred outcome, and thoughts of love and gratitude for all you have now. To help yourself get to a good feeling place, notice the beauty of your surroundings and feel joy at being with those you care about. The more you enjoy the moment as you are in it, the more peace you will have.

And here’s some really great news! There have been various studies done in the past 15 years around improving your health through the power of gratitude.

According to these studies, you can expect to see greatly improved health by being more grateful. I fully support these results as I often see my clients’ health improve in many areas as a result of feeling more gratitude overall.

Health Benefits of Gratitude

Below are just a few of the proven health benefits of gratitude that are worth noting:

1) Lowers blood pressure - Patients with hypertension were instructed to count their blessings once a week. As a result there was a significant decrease in systolic blood pressure.

2) Reduces depression and improves symptoms related to depression - Keeping a gratitude journal reduced depressive symptoms by 30%+ for as long as the practice continued. Participants also reported 25% increased sleep quality, 19% more time spent exercising, 10% less physical pain, and 16% fewer physical symptoms.

4) Increases energy - Levels of gratitude significantly correlated with vitality and energy in studies.

5) Improves sleep quality - Gratitude correlated with improved sleep quality (29 %), less time required to fall asleep (20%) increased sleep duration (14%)

So as the world-renowned gratitude researcher, Roberts Emmons, says, “If you want to sleep more soundly count blessings, not sheep!”

Remember, you create your world based on how you feel... and being grateful feels very good! When you are feeling lots of gratitude, living in the NOW, your feelings of love increase. And, love always takes you to the real magic of calm. You can be there every moment of your life if you choose--like a child feeling the lightness of life, having a natural sense of wonder and gratitude for all that they experience in the present moment!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you... with great love and gratitude for the abundance of joy you bring to my life!

Have an absolutely magical day full of love, gratitude, and fun, fun, fun!

~Mary Lynn Ziemer

If this message inspired you, please forward it to a friend, colleague, client, or family member to brighten their day as well!

Need help feeling more joy today? Contact me for an initial Coaching session at (239) 444-3133.

Looking for a fun and engaging keynote speaker for your event? I am happy to consider speaking at any size event. Please call me at (239) 444-3133, or email your event details to: MaryLynn@LivingAJoyfulLifeNow.com

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