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Brian Anderson

Gratitude+ Journal - Fully Activated!

Gratitude+ Journal - Enhanced


You have likely heard of the practice of keeping a gratitude journal and, each day, writing down at least three positive things that happen during the course of your day. It is a great exercise for many reasons, including it can serve as a great pattern interrupt. It's also great because certain parts of our brains are activated when we think about aspects we are grateful for in our lives... and literal physical changes will occur in our brains as new neural connections are made. This improves the functionality of our brains (neuroplasticity).


So here is a bit of a twist from a standard gratitude journal that can get the empowering chemicals of the brain and body flowing: have at least one those gratitude experiences relate to serotonin, another relate to oxytocin, and another relate to dopamine. These are the primary positive-feeling chemicals in the body.


1) Serotonin - feeling grateful and blessed, and blessing others


2) Oxytocin - feelings of strong love for people, pets, nature, Higher Power, Self


3) Dopamine - feeling of accomplishment


Creating a gratitude journal keying in on these emotions will help us to change the chemical environment of our bodies, and thus the receptors on the outside of our cells will get upgraded signals. In terms of day-to-day operations of our cells, it is a big deal if our bodies are filled with these chemicals relative to cortisol from stress. And the health benefits regarding what happens inside our cells relative to empowering verses disempowering signals is no longer conjecture. This is now science.


Another great benefit of a Gratitude+ journal is that it helps to create additional awareness that filters throughout our daily lives. By doing the journal daily, we are more likely to notice an oxytocin/love moment or other opportunities for growth and appreciation during the course of our stressful days that would otherwise pass us by. We are more on the lookout, subconsciously and consciously, for the things that are great in our daily lives.


Taking a few moments to let the good chemicals flow during the day will reduce stress, cortisol, and adrenaline in our bodies. And, besides just the incredible health benefits... is the added bonus that when we are activating the positive chemicals... the happy and empowering neurotransmitters and hormones... bonus joy and bliss are right around the corner as a result of our simple shift in focus through this daily exercise!

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