HEART HEALTH: GRATITUDE

Well, it's fitting I am starting this week with gratitude as the first step in my heart health recovery (you know, because it's thanksgiving). It might seem like an unlikely step in a healthy emotionally stable heart but it's quite essential. Gratitude puts life in a positive perspective and it does it quickly. It has the capability of shifting moods and mindsets. That's a big deal! Our mindset and perspective on circumstances are crucial for an emotionally stable life. For me, a grateful heart was taught at an early age. My parents knew we didn't have much and instead of ignoring that fact they would lend a different perspective through gratefulness and service. 

When me and my siblings were younger, my parents would take us to feed the homeless. We did not have much but what we had we used to serve others. "No, we don't have a lot but we do have able bodies and food on the table. Others don't have food and so with our able bodies we are going to provide food and service to those less fortunate than us. We need to always be grateful for every blessing big or small." My dad would not allow a lessen to be lost on this tradition. We would often have people over and provide food and shelter for them knowing that it was purchased with the last bit of available money until dad's next paycheck. But, we did so with a cheerful heart because we we're blessed and so grateful for God always providing for us.

As my mother's condition worsened I specifically remember her prayers of gratitude. "Thank you God for my husband, kids, friends, and family who are always here to help." It would be a constant prayer of thanks. It could not have been easy for my mother to constantly be grateful when she felt awful or a burden. I think on it now and I truly believed that helped her state of mind and emotional stability. I believe she kept things in a positive perspective through her gratitude prayers.  

Listen, I am not saying it's easy to remain grateful in hard times or even a frustrating moment. What I am saying is breathe, take a moment of silence, acknowledge the pain or frustration BUT then look for the positives (related or unrelated) and begin to verbalize your gratitude. When you begin to practice it might not change your mood or perspective but with consistency your emotions begin to stabilize because what was once a big deal you now have perspective on and KNOW it's not a mountain but a hill. 

I will be transparent; this was not an area I struggled with. It was an area I could improve upon. I knew I wasn't as grateful as I once was and so I began to write a list of 3-5 things I was grateful for everyday. This not only helped me sleep at night but transformed how I began to deal with my emotions. I began to control them instead of them controlling me. Instead of remaining sour for 48 hours I was only sour for 47.5hr! But hey, that was an improvement! Have grace with yourself, emotional stability doesn't come over night! 

3 things I'm grateful for: a space where I can be totally me and write about the things placed on my heart, for every person that visits this website and/or reads a blog, and for my parents setting an AMAZING example of how to be emotionally stable trough gratitude. What are three things you're grateful for on this Thanksgiving week?

Wish me love 💞