Did you know that there’s a sure-fire exercise that instantly reduces the feelings of stress, anxiety and overwhelm?
In fact, doing this simple technique every day, has been scientifically proven to:
Reduce blood pressure
Help you better manage negative emotions
It’s a practice of Gratitude, and the concept is simple but POWERFUL.
In a recent research study, it was found that all anxious and depressed subjects who participated in a gratitude letter-writing experiment, showed significant behavioural changes.
Using MRI scans, it was determined that not only was there an increase in neural modulation, brought about by changes in the medial prefrontal cortex; but they were better able to manage negative emotions (like guilt) and were more willing to be helpful, empathetic and kind.
In a different research study on gratitude (by McCraty and Colleagues in 1998), in subjects that truly focused on gratitude, 23% showed a decrease in cortisol—the most prominent stress hormone.
Even more powerful is that 80% of participants showed changes in heart rate variability; a direct result of reduced stress levels.
The list goes on and on.
And the bottom line is this: every study done on the subject of gratitude research has evidence that gratitude benefits our bodies, minds and souls which in turn helps us to be happier and more productive.
Here’s a quick exercise you can try right now, at your desk, to become less stressed, more focused and happier:
Step 1: Think about moments, events, people that you are grateful to have experienced in the past week.
Step 2: Write down a description of at least 3 of grateful memories
Step 3: For each grateful experience, allow yourself about a minute to relive the moment and FEEL your gratitude for this experience in your life.
TIP: If you want the true benefits of gratitude, you can’t just make gratitude list and check it off. You have to let it well up and genuinely FEEL IT. If you live in your head, it can take some practice go from “thinking gratitude” to “feeling gratitude,” but when you do – your life will shift dramatically.
I knew you would…
If you’d like to chat more about how to be healthier, happier and more resilient in our law practice, pop over to the Mind Over Law Facebook Group and share your insights, questions or tips with other mindful attorneys working on shifting their energy to be more focused, productive and happier.