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Honored Social Butterfly

Gratitude as a Health Tool

Gratitude can improve your life, and may even save it! No really. Dartmouth posted this web page on the importance of gratitude: http://www.umassd.edu/counseling/forparents/reccomendedreadings/theimportanceofgratitude/

 

Here’s a clip from that page:

 

"Researchers ... are turning their attention to the study of gratitude and its relationship to health and mental well-being. I will present some of their findings here to help us understand how gratitude is helpful and why it's important to our well-being.

 

People who keep gratitude journals on a weekly basis have been found to exercise more regularly, have fewer physical symptoms, feel better about their lives as a whole, and feel more optimistic about their upcoming week as compared to those who keep journals recording the stressors or neutral events of their lives.


Daily discussion of gratitude results in higher reported levels of alertness, enthusiasm, determination, attentiveness, energy, and sleep duration and quality. Grateful people also report lower levels of depression and stress, although they do not deny or ignore the negative aspects of life.


People who think about, talk about, or write about gratitude daily are more likely to report having helped someone with a personal problem or offered emotional support to another person.


Those with a disposition towards gratitude are found to place less importance on material goods, are less likely to judge their own or others success in terms of possessions accumulated, are less envious of wealthy people, and are more likely to share their possessions with others.


Emerging research suggests that daily gratitude practices may have some preventative benefits in warding of coronary artery disease."

"The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life - mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical." Julius Erving
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Honored Social Butterfly

I offer gratitude for the US Pro Challenge (cycling). (url: http://www.usaprocyclingchallenge.com)  We were in Steamboat Springs, CO (http://www.steamboatsprings.com) this weekend and witnessed the envigorating gear-up for tomorrow's race start (news crews, pro cyclists nearly everywhere, Sandhill cranes (http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/sandhill-crane/) just about everywhere else), and will be able to watch another stage of the race from our picture windows (though we are more likely to travel to a particularly challenging Rocky Mountain curve from which to watch). I'm grateful for the hardworking athletes, grateful for the hosting communities and grateful for the route. 

"The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life - mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical." Julius Erving
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I am also grateful to be home. Ridgeline tent camping in a thunderstorm is a certain eye-opening experience.... ahem.) Ze Olde Toyhauler just got cuts in line. That would be the budget line.

"The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life - mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical." Julius Erving
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I'm grateful that a gully washer came by whilst we were away and watered the hillside. Bright and clean and full of life, it is. (Of course the road now needs grading, but that's OK, too.)

 

Further I am grateful for the ability to poach a few eggs from our own coop. Fresh! Organic! Yum!

 

 

"The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life - mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical." Julius Erving
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Wait! There's more!

 

I am grateful for the weekend viewing opportunities:  4 bald eagles; a half dozen mule deer fawns (spots yet on!); sandhill cranes; baby badgers; DH's fave, the kingfisher, and myriad other songbirds and waterfowl. Loves me some Rocky Mountain camping!

"The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life - mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical." Julius Erving
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"The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life - mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical." Julius Erving
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Every day - I am grateful for the very good health that my wife, myself, and all our children (5), and grandchildren (8) enjoy!

 

And - I'm grateful that this brave new world of online communicating has included in its development such a useful tool as emoticoms.

 

Smiley Very Happy 

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"The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life - mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical." Julius Erving
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I'm grateful for the soul. It pesters us, nurtures us, emboldens us, praises good, feeds on beauty, rebels against hate, causes us to rise up, to rethink, improve and to carry on. 

 

And I'm grateful for the opportunity to step away from the routine for a few days. See ya on the other side of this wee excursion.

"The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life - mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical." Julius Erving
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I am grateful that cooking skills can be acquired and that our tastebuds have caused our kitchen to emulate many different latitudes and longitudes. 

 

 

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Clip from original post on this thread:

Gratitude can improve your life, and may even save it! No really. Dartmouth posted this web page on the importance of gratitude: http://www.umassd.edu/counseling/forparents/reccomendedreadings/theimportanceofgratitude/

 

"The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life - mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical." Julius Erving
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I am grateful to have shopping nearby! 🙂 Making brownies & lamb meatballs for a "covered dish" tonight!


Registered on Online Community since 2007!
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Good point, @Epster! I'm grateful that my county college has an extensive program for "Lifelong Learning", as well as bus trips! A few months ago, I completed a 6-segment certificate program for nonprofit management. Although I have no intention of doing that in a paid positions, the material is very helpful for any volunteer work I might do!


Registered on Online Community since 2007!
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@EveRH wrote:

A few months ago, I completed a 6-segment certificate program for nonprofit management. Although I have no intention of doing that in a paid positions, the material is very helpful for any volunteer work I might do!



Hurrah for learning! May your newly acquired knowledge benefit you and your region.

"The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life - mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical." Julius Erving
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I am grateful to have a fit husband. This morning, DH fished a pair of 35 year old custom-made bicycling shorts out of his closet and pulled them on. They fit perfectly. (Then we zipped off to get in 15 miles on the bike trail: him on a unicycle, me on an adult trike before borrowing a pair of recumbents and getting in another 5 miles. Yay!)



35 y-o bike shorts that fit: RAWR!

"The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life - mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical." Julius Erving
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I am grateful for wild mushrooms, and the local mycological society. Our boletus season is in full swing. Hurrah! May every mushroom hunter fill his/her basket with ease.

 

And for you non-mushroom hunters: tundra wildflowers (usually over 11K) are a sight to behold: miniature, yet perfect in form. Visiting tundra produces unstoppable gratitude.

"The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life - mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical." Julius Erving
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I am grateful for cool breezes felt at mountaintops, the immeasurable cuteness of baby cottontail rabbits and the nearby chatter of finches.

"The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life - mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical." Julius Erving
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I'm grateful for a day spent at the ocean (Pacific) with my bride, daughter and granddaughter.  Reconnecting with the great mother ocean is not only physically invigorating and healing, but soul satisfying!

 

Epster - "mountaintops, wild mushrooms, tundra" - - Where are you?  We are in SoCal.  

Smiley Happy

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Honored Social Butterfly

@wilful We are in the beautiful Colorado Front Range where the fishing is good, the winter sports excellent and the summers over in a flash so yas gots ta gets yer behind moving ifn ya wants to enjoy 'em. Smiley Happy

 

Know this: here winter can happen any day of the year, but summer, well, we restrict that to a few weeks in July and August. 

 

One more tidbit: we happen to live at 6,000 ft above sea level, but frequently drive up the hill to 10-12K. Ahhhhhhh, Colorful Colorado! 

"The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life - mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical." Julius Erving
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@Epster wrote:

@wilful We are in the beautiful Colorado Front Range where the fishing is good, the winter sports excellent and the summers over in a flash so yas gots ta gets yer behind moving ifn ya wants to enjoy 'em. Smiley Happy

 

Know this: here winter can happen any day of the year, but summer, well, we restrict that to a few weeks in July and August. 

 

One more tidbit: we happen to live at 6,000 ft above sea level, but frequently drive up the hill to 10-12K. Ahhhhhhh, Colorful Colorado! 


We spent a few days in Denver in May.  Leaving, we headed south on the 25 and drove thru the edge of a tornado... Very exciting with black sky(at noon), rain, snow, ferocious hail and wind - which turned over a car that passed us.  Love that weather!  Smiley Happy

 

Incidentally, Boulder is the home of my favorite fiction writer - Stephen White.

 

 

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"The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life - mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical." Julius Erving
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i was stationed at air force base in colorado for a while in the 70's, not nearly long enough as far as i was concerned. it is a beautiful state and i really enjoyed my time there.

dont take life too serious
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@bw95562019 wrote:

i was stationed at air force base in colorado for a while in the 70's, not nearly long enough as far as i was concerned. it is a beautiful state and i really enjoyed my time there.


Colorado Springs? Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. 

 

I am grateful for the beauty of the state of Colorado. And beyond grateful for those who serve, or have served, in the armed forces. Thank you, @bw95562019!

"The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life - mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical." Julius Erving
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@Epster wrote:

@bw95562019 wrote:

i was stationed at air force base in colorado for a while in the 70's, not nearly long enough as far as i was concerned. it is a beautiful state and i really enjoyed my time there.


Colorado Springs? Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. 

 

I am grateful for the beauty of the state of Colorado. And beyond grateful for those who serve, or have served, in the armed forces. Thank you, @bw95562019!


And I am grateful for folks who thank us for our service.  Epster - you are most welcome!  And - it was my pleasure to serve. It was 4 years well spent.  Smiley Happy

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@wilful wrote:
And I am grateful for folks who thank us for our service.  Epster - you are most welcome!  And - it was my pleasure to serve. It was 4 years well spent.  Smiley Happy

Heart

"The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life - mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical." Julius Erving
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I am grateful for having a difficult childhood, because it caused me to become self-reliant. Or, as Ralph Waldo Emerson said, self-reliance has brought me “consistent access to survival.” Hurrah to that!

 

I'm also grateful that life hasn't always been a rocky uphill climb. Smiley Happy

"The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life - mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical." Julius Erving
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i'm grateful for a fun sunday afternoon and evening spent with my family.  after we cooked on the grill my granddaughter cooked in her play kitchen and we had a 2nd meal!

 

dont take life too serious
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I am grateful that we have a presidential hopeful who can remove 1/2 a brain .. maybe he can do some transplants, for those who've lost something along the way?! 🙂


Registered on Online Community since 2007!
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This morning I am deeply grateful for democracy, presidential debates, technology and feral Washington outsiders.

 

Also: wooo hooo it is Friday!

"The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life - mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical." Julius Erving
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Well blimey! Surprise opportunity presented itself to bury the hatchet with an in-law.

 

I'm grateful.

"The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life - mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical." Julius Erving
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i' grateful that we can talk about something other then politics! lol. but i'm really grateful that my 3 yr old grand daughter will be over this evening and i can spend some time with her.

dont take life too serious
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@bw95562019 wrote:

i' grateful that we can talk about something other then politics! lol. but i'm really grateful that my 3 yr old grand daughter will be over this evening and i can spend some time with her.


Hi BW9 - Reading your posting reminded me of how grateful I am right now for having our 7 year old granddaughter staying here with us for a month.  Smiley Very Happy

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