Learn four reasons why you should choose end of the year gratitude as a focal point.
With the holidays here and Thanksgiving behind us, gratitude is the word of the season! Everywhere we go, there are reminders to be grateful, but sometimes, being grateful is easier said than done, and I think that’s actually especially true during the holidays. It can be difficult to feel grateful in the holiday season after divorce because if we’re being honest with ourselves, maybe our lives don’t look like we had planned. We may be missing those who were once our family, and we may even have to deal with not having our children at the table when custody is split.
But even though life takes twists and turns that we might not always expect, there is always a reason to be grateful. Letting any disappointment fester and turn to resentment can have an unwanted impact on your health.
Instead, here are four reasons to choose end of the year gratitude from one of our resident experts Dawn McGee, so that everyone has a healthier and happier new year season.
1. Choosing gratitude lowers your cortisol levels.
When you embrace gratitude and reduce your stress levels, your cortisol levels will go down with them. High cortisol levels are linked to plenty of unpleasant symptoms, like weight gain and high blood pressure, so reducing cortisol will do wonders for your health. If you have any goals for your health next year, this will also set you up for success by giving you a head start!
2. Your mental health will thank you.
Choosing to be grateful creates a positive atmosphere for yourself, and your mental health will improve when you surround yourself with positivity instead of allowing negativity to take root in your life. When you are intentionally grateful, you lower your stress levels and improve your mental health, and you’ll feel so much better when you’re in a good place mentally.
3. You teach your kids healthy habits for their future.
As much as our toddlers have a mind of their own and our teenagers may pretend they want to be totally different from us, our kids really do mimic a lot of the decisions we make for ourselves. When you allow your disappointment to cloud your happy days, your kids take notice. Similarly, when you choose to have a positive attitude and a grateful heart, your kids also see that and are mentally noting how you cope during difficult times. If you want your kids to be able to handle the curve balls life throws at them, it’s best that you model that for them by choosing gratitude, even when things go differently than what you had planned.
4. You can go into 2023 ready to tackle all of your goals.
Meeting your health goals isn’t always as easy as we might wish it would be, so it’s essential that we create a positive mindset that we can grow from. If you end 2022 by instilling in yourself a spirit of positivity and gratitude, you can carry that with you into January, and you’ll be setting yourself up for success in all of the goals you have planned.
Sometimes, the holidays aren’t as holly jolly as they’re painted in Hallmark movies. They can be a mixed bag with both joy and disappointment having their own place in the season. When you choose end of the year gratitude no matter what the season brings you, you can create a healthier environment for yourself and your family and create a mindset that will lead to success next year.
Looking for advice on managing post-holiday stress? Check out our advice here!
