1 00:00:07,290 --> 00:00:10,586 Welcome to Your Confident Self, the podcast that empowers 2 00:00:10,618 --> 00:00:14,378 women to step into their boldest, most confident selves. 3 00:00:14,554 --> 00:00:17,886 I'm your host, Allegra Sinclair, and I'm here to help 4 00:00:17,908 --> 00:00:21,966 you unleash your full potential in every area of your life. 5 00:00:22,148 --> 00:00:25,826 From the boardroom to the dance floor, we explore 6 00:00:25,938 --> 00:00:29,206 practical strategies and mindset shifts that will help 7 00:00:29,228 --> 00:00:33,080 you show up as your most confident self in every situation. 8 00:00:34,410 --> 00:00:37,974 Join me each week as I either bring you a lesson straight 9 00:00:38,022 --> 00:00:41,802 from my own executive coaching practice, or I dive into 10 00:00:41,856 --> 00:00:45,654 conversations with inspiring women who have overcome their own fears 11 00:00:45,702 --> 00:00:48,540 and self doubt to achieve amazing things. 12 00:00:49,150 --> 00:00:52,874 From entrepreneurs and executives to artists 13 00:00:52,922 --> 00:00:56,442 and athletes, my guests will share their stories and insights 14 00:00:56,506 --> 00:01:00,330 so you can learn from their experiences and apply their lessons 15 00:01:00,410 --> 00:01:03,914 to your own life. Whether you're ready 16 00:01:03,972 --> 00:01:07,454 to ask for that promotion, start your own business, or simply 17 00:01:07,502 --> 00:01:10,430 feel more confident in your own skin, 18 00:01:10,590 --> 00:01:13,570 your Confident Self is the podcast for you. 19 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:17,830 So grab your headphones and get ready to unlock your full potential. 20 00:01:20,490 --> 00:01:24,070 Hey, this is allegra welcome to this week's episode of the podcast. 21 00:01:25,130 --> 00:01:28,802 In a world where stress and negativity seem to dominate, 22 00:01:28,866 --> 00:01:31,690 it's easy to overlook the power of gratitude. 23 00:01:32,190 --> 00:01:35,866 But expressing gratitude for the positive aspects of our 24 00:01:35,888 --> 00:01:39,622 lives is one of the simplest and most effective ways to enhance 25 00:01:39,686 --> 00:01:43,226 our wellbeing. Gratitude has been scientifically 26 00:01:43,258 --> 00:01:46,878 proven to have numerous benefits that can transform our lives 27 00:01:46,964 --> 00:01:50,314 in unexpected ways. In this episode, 28 00:01:50,362 --> 00:01:53,746 we'll explore eight hidden benefits of gratitude that you might not 29 00:01:53,768 --> 00:01:56,914 be aware of. From boosting your mental health to 30 00:01:56,952 --> 00:02:00,334 improving your relationships, these benefits offer compelling 31 00:02:00,382 --> 00:02:03,854 reasons why you should make gratitude a part of your daily 32 00:02:03,902 --> 00:02:07,358 routine. I added one gratitude habit 33 00:02:07,374 --> 00:02:11,538 to my daily routine, and it has blown me away with its effects. 34 00:02:11,714 --> 00:02:14,600 So if you're looking for an easy way to improve your life, 35 00:02:15,210 --> 00:02:19,238 stay tuned and discover how cultivating a thankful mindset 36 00:02:19,334 --> 00:02:22,602 could change everything. Now, 37 00:02:22,656 --> 00:02:26,582 in a previous podcast episode, I want to say it was episode 38 00:02:26,646 --> 00:02:30,186 64. I talked about seven ways to 39 00:02:30,208 --> 00:02:33,466 feel gratitude when things suck. You could go back 40 00:02:33,488 --> 00:02:36,480 and check that out@allegrivity.com, 41 00:02:37,010 --> 00:02:40,254 64 but gratitude has become 42 00:02:40,292 --> 00:02:43,326 such an important aspect of my life that I wanted to make sure you didn't 43 00:02:43,358 --> 00:02:46,914 miss any of the benefits. So I want to help you 44 00:02:46,952 --> 00:02:50,430 discover the transformative power of gratitude 45 00:02:50,510 --> 00:02:51,940 and its hidden benefits. 46 00:02:53,350 --> 00:02:57,414 Gratitude is a game changer in personal development and 47 00:02:57,452 --> 00:03:00,774 a superpower that can absolutely transform your life. 48 00:03:00,812 --> 00:03:04,520 I know these are big promises, but I can back them up. 49 00:03:05,050 --> 00:03:08,502 Gratitude is more than just saying thank you. It's a mindset 50 00:03:08,566 --> 00:03:12,026 of appreciation and awe for the good things that 51 00:03:12,048 --> 00:03:15,990 surround you. When you embrace gratitude, 52 00:03:16,070 --> 00:03:19,514 magical things start to happen. It's like you put on a pair of 53 00:03:19,552 --> 00:03:23,550 special glasses that allow you to see the world more clearly. 54 00:03:24,130 --> 00:03:27,498 Suddenly, you no longer miss the small joys and acts 55 00:03:27,514 --> 00:03:31,310 of kindness that fill every day. You start to really 56 00:03:31,380 --> 00:03:34,754 appreciate the people experiences and even the 57 00:03:34,792 --> 00:03:37,620 challenges that you have in life. 58 00:03:38,630 --> 00:03:42,482 So picture this by simply shifting your focus from 59 00:03:42,536 --> 00:03:46,322 what's lacking in your life to what's abundant, 60 00:03:46,466 --> 00:03:49,654 you can unleash a tsunami of 61 00:03:49,692 --> 00:03:53,554 positivity in your life. Gratitude then becomes your secret 62 00:03:53,602 --> 00:03:57,362 weapon, empowering you to overcome obstacles and embrace 63 00:03:57,426 --> 00:04:01,020 every moment with a grateful attitude that you choose. 64 00:04:02,030 --> 00:04:06,026 Think about how amazing it feels to truly appreciate the people in 65 00:04:06,048 --> 00:04:10,006 your life your loved ones, your friends, mentors who may 66 00:04:10,048 --> 00:04:12,670 have touched and impacted your career deeply. 67 00:04:13,410 --> 00:04:16,958 Gratitude deepens those connections, creating a 68 00:04:16,964 --> 00:04:20,606 bond that's very personal and hard to describe to others. 69 00:04:20,788 --> 00:04:24,046 I think of it this way imagine the best hug 70 00:04:24,078 --> 00:04:27,874 you've ever gotten. Gratitude's like that. It's like a 71 00:04:27,912 --> 00:04:31,678 big hug that makes you feel seen and valued 72 00:04:31,774 --> 00:04:34,958 and loved. But that's not all. 73 00:04:35,064 --> 00:04:38,786 Gratitude can absolutely be the fuel for your personal growth 74 00:04:38,818 --> 00:04:42,534 and self confidence. When you acknowledge and celebrate your 75 00:04:42,572 --> 00:04:46,386 accomplishments, no matter how small, you're empowering 76 00:04:46,418 --> 00:04:49,398 yourself to reach bigger, scarier goals, 77 00:04:49,574 --> 00:04:52,726 your self esteem soars, and suddenly, you realize that you're 78 00:04:52,758 --> 00:04:55,340 capable of achieving just about anything. 79 00:04:56,190 --> 00:04:59,974 Would you show up differently at work tomorrow if you felt capable of 80 00:05:00,032 --> 00:05:03,760 achieving anything? I thought so. 81 00:05:04,370 --> 00:05:08,046 And let's not forget about the incredible impact that gratitude has on 82 00:05:08,068 --> 00:05:11,578 your overall well being. It's like a natural stress reliever. 83 00:05:11,674 --> 00:05:15,218 Gratitude is like the St. John's Whart and Melatonin you 84 00:05:15,224 --> 00:05:19,090 have been looking for, melting away tension and anxiety. 85 00:05:19,590 --> 00:05:22,766 By focusing on the positive, you cultivate resilience, 86 00:05:22,878 --> 00:05:26,042 and you bounce back from your setback so much quicker. 87 00:05:26,206 --> 00:05:29,602 You even sleep more soundly, wake up more refresh, 88 00:05:29,666 --> 00:05:32,600 and tackle each day with renewed energy. 89 00:05:34,170 --> 00:05:37,918 So my first question for you as we look at these hidden benefits of gratitude 90 00:05:37,954 --> 00:05:41,530 is, have you fallen into the complaining trap? 91 00:05:42,430 --> 00:05:45,898 Most people complain an average of 30 92 00:05:45,984 --> 00:05:48,938 times a day. That blew my mind. 93 00:05:49,024 --> 00:05:51,840 Did you expect that number to be higher or lower? 94 00:05:53,170 --> 00:05:58,218 This constant stream of negative thinking rewires 95 00:05:58,234 --> 00:06:01,754 your brain to be negative and makes you vulnerable to potential 96 00:06:01,802 --> 00:06:06,130 health problems, career mistakes, and out of balance relationships. 97 00:06:06,550 --> 00:06:09,970 With so much at risk, what's your alternative? 98 00:06:10,870 --> 00:06:14,450 How can you break the cycle of negativity and complaining? 99 00:06:15,190 --> 00:06:18,578 Can you really train yourself to not only look for the positive, 100 00:06:18,674 --> 00:06:22,630 but to focus on it as well? The answer 101 00:06:22,700 --> 00:06:26,040 can be found in a simple yet powerful word 102 00:06:26,410 --> 00:06:29,730 gratitude. I looked it up for y'all, 103 00:06:29,810 --> 00:06:33,286 just for the Giggle On dictionary, and it says gratitude 104 00:06:33,398 --> 00:06:37,274 is simply the quality or feeling of being grateful or 105 00:06:37,312 --> 00:06:41,118 thankful. So imagine your life, 106 00:06:41,284 --> 00:06:45,162 and in it, you're not just going through the motions, but you're truly enjoying 107 00:06:45,226 --> 00:06:49,322 every experience. Gratitude helps you find joy 108 00:06:49,386 --> 00:06:52,998 in the ordinary, turning mundane, boring moments 109 00:06:53,034 --> 00:06:56,674 into treasured memories. Right now, 110 00:06:56,792 --> 00:07:00,562 you have the power to transform your world one thankful thought 111 00:07:00,616 --> 00:07:03,874 at a time. The question is, are you ready to 112 00:07:03,912 --> 00:07:06,930 unlock the hidden treasures that gratitude holds? 113 00:07:08,310 --> 00:07:12,198 Gratitude's a hard quality to master when it seems the whole world around you 114 00:07:12,284 --> 00:07:15,894 is awful and stacked against you. 115 00:07:16,092 --> 00:07:19,530 But those women who are willing to embrace gratitude often 116 00:07:19,600 --> 00:07:23,020 discover these surprising gifts that come with it. 117 00:07:23,470 --> 00:07:26,886 So benefit number one gratitude 118 00:07:26,998 --> 00:07:30,762 reframes adversity. Okay, 119 00:07:30,816 --> 00:07:33,998 so the job you wanted, you didn't get it. The deal you 120 00:07:34,004 --> 00:07:37,246 were working on didn't come through. The company where you 121 00:07:37,268 --> 00:07:40,446 were working went through downsizing, and you had to 122 00:07:40,468 --> 00:07:43,620 tell people you really care about that their job went away. 123 00:07:44,550 --> 00:07:47,940 Everyone encounters adversity at one point or another. 124 00:07:48,390 --> 00:07:52,306 Some people, though, seem so much more resilient. No matter what they 125 00:07:52,328 --> 00:07:56,082 face, they always seem to bounce back and turn those obstacles 126 00:07:56,146 --> 00:07:59,926 into opportunities for even better things in the future. 127 00:08:00,108 --> 00:08:03,430 What's their secret? It's simple. 128 00:08:03,580 --> 00:08:06,760 Grateful people are focused on what's going right, 129 00:08:07,210 --> 00:08:10,762 on what resources they have, and how they can use these 130 00:08:10,816 --> 00:08:14,506 to improve the future. This enables them 131 00:08:14,528 --> 00:08:18,294 to cope with minor setbacks and crushing defeats without losing 132 00:08:18,342 --> 00:08:21,200 their energy or desire to try again. 133 00:08:22,130 --> 00:08:25,918 We've talked before about how you can reframe anything 134 00:08:26,084 --> 00:08:29,374 and everything that happens to you and change your 135 00:08:29,412 --> 00:08:32,666 thoughts about it instantly. That's what 136 00:08:32,708 --> 00:08:36,190 gratitude does. It helps you reframe adversity. 137 00:08:36,270 --> 00:08:39,780 And in a moment, we're going to talk about a couple of examples of that. 138 00:08:41,110 --> 00:08:45,570 Benefit number two is that gratitude strengthens relationships. 139 00:08:46,870 --> 00:08:50,582 It's hard to make yourself feel love or treat people 140 00:08:50,636 --> 00:08:54,054 kindly when all you can think about is everything that you don't like about 141 00:08:54,092 --> 00:08:57,414 them or everything that you think is wrong with them. The things 142 00:08:57,452 --> 00:09:01,026 that you're thinking about them might even be true, 143 00:09:01,148 --> 00:09:05,574 right? You could have some legitimate points, but perhaps 144 00:09:05,702 --> 00:09:08,966 you don't need to be the one to point that out. Perhaps the way you're 145 00:09:08,998 --> 00:09:12,400 showing up in all your relationships isn't really working for you. 146 00:09:13,170 --> 00:09:17,194 Do you honestly believe that you're going to strengthen your relationships by telling 147 00:09:17,242 --> 00:09:20,846 other people exactly what they're doing wrong all 148 00:09:20,948 --> 00:09:24,254 the time? Let's just think about how that tastes for a moment. 149 00:09:24,372 --> 00:09:28,138 How would you feel about someone who seemed to delight in telling you 150 00:09:28,164 --> 00:09:31,746 what was wrong with you all the time? I'm guessing you're not 151 00:09:31,768 --> 00:09:33,906 going to go out of your way to spend a lot of time with that 152 00:09:33,928 --> 00:09:37,400 person. And that makes sense. Who would want to do that? 153 00:09:38,490 --> 00:09:41,910 So in your relationships, look beyond the surface. 154 00:09:42,410 --> 00:09:45,346 Okay, maybe your spouse is forgetful, 155 00:09:45,538 --> 00:09:49,994 but what else are they? Are they an amazing parent? 156 00:09:50,192 --> 00:09:54,278 Are they a great teacher? Do they keep your finances 157 00:09:54,374 --> 00:09:56,380 running like the best, 158 00:09:56,750 --> 00:10:00,446 smoothest, most stress free car in 159 00:10:00,468 --> 00:10:03,854 the world? Everybody in your life 160 00:10:03,892 --> 00:10:07,678 and all the relationships you have? None of those people is just one 161 00:10:07,764 --> 00:10:11,118 thing. None of us is just one 162 00:10:11,204 --> 00:10:12,910 annoying habit. 163 00:10:14,370 --> 00:10:18,402 So grateful people don't focus on what the other person is doing 164 00:10:18,456 --> 00:10:22,206 wrong. They look at how much joy this person brings 165 00:10:22,238 --> 00:10:25,300 to them. So then they're eager to return that. 166 00:10:26,150 --> 00:10:29,622 If I am thinking about something that I'm thinking about someone 167 00:10:29,676 --> 00:10:32,342 right now, so I'm going to try not to say her name. If I am 168 00:10:32,396 --> 00:10:36,166 thinking about someone who does something that really irritates me. 169 00:10:36,348 --> 00:10:39,734 If I focus too much on that thing she does, that irritates 170 00:10:39,782 --> 00:10:43,114 me, that flavors every interaction I have with her. 171 00:10:43,232 --> 00:10:46,890 But instead, if I think, man, she is really funny. 172 00:10:47,230 --> 00:10:50,570 She is really supportive. No matter what crazy idea I come up with, 173 00:10:50,640 --> 00:10:53,680 she absolutely believes I can make that thing happen. 174 00:10:54,050 --> 00:10:57,566 I feel differently about her, and our relationship is 175 00:10:57,588 --> 00:11:01,466 different because I show up and interact with her differently when I'm focused 176 00:11:01,498 --> 00:11:04,500 on the things that I'm grateful for about this person. 177 00:11:06,710 --> 00:11:09,890 Benefit number three gratitude lowers stress. 178 00:11:10,790 --> 00:11:14,706 So this happened to me recently. Picture this. You're in 179 00:11:14,728 --> 00:11:17,770 your car on your way to an important appointment. 180 00:11:17,870 --> 00:11:21,062 You've waited six months to see this allergist, and you're running 181 00:11:21,116 --> 00:11:24,454 late. And you get behind someone who's driving so 182 00:11:24,492 --> 00:11:28,378 slow, and traffic is not helping you out, giving you a place where you can 183 00:11:28,464 --> 00:11:32,186 quickly move around them. You are stuck right behind them. 184 00:11:32,368 --> 00:11:36,346 What's your default response? Most people 185 00:11:36,528 --> 00:11:40,534 are complaining in that moment. They're having a lot of negative 186 00:11:40,582 --> 00:11:44,094 thoughts. They are miserable about it, even though there's nothing 187 00:11:44,132 --> 00:11:47,886 they can do to change their circumstances in that moment. I'm not 188 00:11:47,908 --> 00:11:51,230 saying that's how I responded, but I'm going to say a lot of people 189 00:11:51,300 --> 00:11:55,306 would have. But what if you challenged yourself to change 190 00:11:55,348 --> 00:11:59,022 your outlook? So instead of worrying about being late for the allergist, 191 00:11:59,166 --> 00:12:02,674 let's say you take 60 seconds and focus on something 192 00:12:02,712 --> 00:12:06,066 that you're grateful for. Like the fact that a year ago you didn't have 193 00:12:06,088 --> 00:12:09,846 an allergist, or a year ago, maybe you didn't have health insurance, 194 00:12:10,028 --> 00:12:13,686 and now you do, and you have the opportunity to go see someone who 195 00:12:13,708 --> 00:12:17,400 can help you breathe through your nose for the first time in three months. 196 00:12:17,770 --> 00:12:20,874 There is something that you can be grateful for in this 197 00:12:20,912 --> 00:12:24,442 moment. A simple thing, a small thing, 198 00:12:24,576 --> 00:12:27,738 a big thing. The size of the item doesn't matter. 199 00:12:27,904 --> 00:12:31,574 It just matters that you can bring to mind in that moment something you're grateful 200 00:12:31,622 --> 00:12:34,922 for that's going to immediately lower your blood pressure, 201 00:12:35,066 --> 00:12:38,878 lower your stress. I'm way less concerned about the person in front of 202 00:12:38,884 --> 00:12:41,994 me who's driving slow because I'm busy reexperiencing 203 00:12:42,042 --> 00:12:43,970 that thing that brought me joy. 204 00:12:45,990 --> 00:12:49,460 Benefit number four gratitude improves your health. 205 00:12:50,790 --> 00:12:54,174 Saying thank you, giving thanks, being grateful 206 00:12:54,302 --> 00:12:57,766 is a wonderful hidden way to improve your 207 00:12:57,788 --> 00:13:00,934 health. People who regularly take time 208 00:13:00,972 --> 00:13:03,986 to practice gratitude have cortisol levels 209 00:13:04,018 --> 00:13:07,190 that are 20% lower than the normal population. 210 00:13:07,930 --> 00:13:11,506 I'm not saying that UC Davis Health is saying that. I'll include 211 00:13:11,538 --> 00:13:14,666 a link in the show notes so those of you who want to can look 212 00:13:14,688 --> 00:13:18,662 it up. And if you're not aware, cortisol is the stress hormone 213 00:13:18,726 --> 00:13:22,606 that can wreak havoc in your body. So if I regularly just 214 00:13:22,628 --> 00:13:26,240 stop and think of things to be grateful about, I can lower 215 00:13:26,850 --> 00:13:30,320 my stress levels. Okay, sign me up. 216 00:13:30,930 --> 00:13:34,734 Gratitude lowers your blood pressure, improves your sleep, and decreases 217 00:13:34,862 --> 00:13:38,226 chronic pain. Some studies have even shown that a 218 00:13:38,248 --> 00:13:41,630 regular gratitude practice can improve your overall 219 00:13:41,710 --> 00:13:45,198 immune function. At this point in time, 220 00:13:45,384 --> 00:13:49,266 I'm sure we can all get excited about something that makes us less likely 221 00:13:49,378 --> 00:13:50,710 to get sick. 222 00:13:52,490 --> 00:13:56,294 Benefit number five gratitude increases Self 223 00:13:56,332 --> 00:13:57,910 esteem and confidence. 224 00:13:59,390 --> 00:14:03,686 It's going to be more difficult for you to improve 225 00:14:03,718 --> 00:14:07,014 your self esteem and feel good about yourself if you're always listing 226 00:14:07,062 --> 00:14:10,714 your flaws and failures. Remember earlier when we talked about 227 00:14:10,752 --> 00:14:13,818 how gratitude can affect your relationships? It affects 228 00:14:13,834 --> 00:14:17,582 your relationship with yourself. If you're like most 229 00:14:17,636 --> 00:14:21,226 women, you probably right now, without even flexing 230 00:14:21,258 --> 00:14:25,390 a muscle, could come up with a list of reasons why you believe yourself 231 00:14:25,540 --> 00:14:29,266 to have flaws and failures. I might even go so far as 232 00:14:29,288 --> 00:14:32,098 to say you could come up with some reasons right now. I would try to 233 00:14:32,104 --> 00:14:35,234 refute them all, but you could come up with some reasons right now, for while 234 00:14:35,272 --> 00:14:38,854 you feel like you're undeserving of good things. You might even tell 235 00:14:38,892 --> 00:14:42,550 yourself sometimes that you're unworthy or unlovable. 236 00:14:43,370 --> 00:14:46,774 But gratitude allows you to step back and see positive things 237 00:14:46,812 --> 00:14:47,800 about yourself. 238 00:14:49,930 --> 00:14:53,254 I didn't like it that I wore glasses starting in the third grade 239 00:14:53,302 --> 00:14:56,586 because not a lot of people in my class wore glasses. And I 240 00:14:56,608 --> 00:15:00,026 felt like, well, I'm already this geeky, skinny, nerdy thing 241 00:15:00,128 --> 00:15:03,294 who likes classical music in a world of R and B 242 00:15:03,332 --> 00:15:06,858 lovers. Now I have glasses. 243 00:15:07,034 --> 00:15:10,254 But then I realized that my glasses enabled me to see things that 244 00:15:10,292 --> 00:15:14,110 other people didn't see, that other people might have missed. 245 00:15:14,690 --> 00:15:18,254 I just changed my viewpoint of glasses, and now I think of glasses 246 00:15:18,302 --> 00:15:21,566 just like an amazing accessory. I have almost as many pair 247 00:15:21,598 --> 00:15:25,060 of glasses as I have shoes because 248 00:15:25,850 --> 00:15:29,254 they can demonstrate how I'm feeling that day. 249 00:15:29,292 --> 00:15:33,238 Right. My glasses are part of my vocabulary. They can 250 00:15:33,324 --> 00:15:37,800 change my mood. They could definitely change my thoughts. They're fun. 251 00:15:38,410 --> 00:15:42,186 Different glasses provide different benefits to me. I now love the 252 00:15:42,208 --> 00:15:45,782 fact that I wear glasses. I had contacts for years. I missed 253 00:15:45,846 --> 00:15:49,654 glasses. So something that I used to hate 254 00:15:49,782 --> 00:15:53,502 that made me feel badly about myself, I now love about 255 00:15:53,556 --> 00:15:57,166 myself. I have a lot of confidence depending on which pair of 256 00:15:57,188 --> 00:16:01,182 glasses I'm wearing. So it's much easier to love 257 00:16:01,236 --> 00:16:04,398 yourself if you're not wasting your time listing your flaws, 258 00:16:04,494 --> 00:16:08,210 but instead are taking time to think about the things about yourself 259 00:16:08,280 --> 00:16:09,620 that you're grateful for. 260 00:16:11,910 --> 00:16:16,070 Benefit number six gratitude improves Your sleep. 261 00:16:16,570 --> 00:16:20,594 How allegra how could gratitude 262 00:16:20,642 --> 00:16:23,766 improve my sleep? Because it allows you to 263 00:16:23,788 --> 00:16:27,618 be more restful and have more Rejuvenating sleep. 264 00:16:27,794 --> 00:16:31,066 It calms your mind. Gratitude shifts your 265 00:16:31,088 --> 00:16:34,758 focus from worries and anxieties to more positive aspects 266 00:16:34,774 --> 00:16:38,198 of life. So right before you're trying to go to sleep, 267 00:16:38,294 --> 00:16:42,250 thinking about things that you're grateful for creates peace 268 00:16:42,330 --> 00:16:46,282 in your mind. And this mental calmness reduces racing thoughts 269 00:16:46,346 --> 00:16:49,902 and promotes a more relaxed state, which is conducive to better 270 00:16:49,956 --> 00:16:54,478 sleep. You can integrate gratitude very easily into your bedtime routines 271 00:16:54,574 --> 00:16:58,126 and your relaxation practices. Take a few moments 272 00:16:58,158 --> 00:17:01,778 before sleep to reflect on all the good stuff that happened in that day 273 00:17:01,864 --> 00:17:05,846 and express gratitude. This helps transition your mind into a 274 00:17:05,868 --> 00:17:09,574 state of calm. If you pair gratitude with 275 00:17:09,612 --> 00:17:13,794 deep breathing exercises or meditation or even gentle 276 00:17:13,842 --> 00:17:17,494 stretching, it amplifies the relaxation effect 277 00:17:17,612 --> 00:17:20,890 and prepares your body and mind for sleep. 278 00:17:21,550 --> 00:17:24,714 Because gratitude changes your perspective on 279 00:17:24,752 --> 00:17:28,646 what has happened to you during that day. When you cultivate a grateful mindset, 280 00:17:28,678 --> 00:17:32,566 you're less likely to keep thinking about negative events 281 00:17:32,598 --> 00:17:35,486 or things that happen during the day. You know how sometimes you can just get 282 00:17:35,508 --> 00:17:39,214 into a spin and you just can't stop thinking about something? No matter how many 283 00:17:39,252 --> 00:17:42,160 times you encourage yourself to let something go, 284 00:17:42,550 --> 00:17:46,580 deciding to be grateful about things instead frees your mind 285 00:17:47,190 --> 00:17:50,446 and allows you to approach sleep in a much better frame 286 00:17:50,478 --> 00:17:54,686 of mind. So bedtime rituals can create a peaceful, 287 00:17:54,798 --> 00:17:58,194 positive mindset. We talked about meditation, 288 00:17:58,322 --> 00:18:01,634 just reflecting on what you're grateful for doing gratitude 289 00:18:01,682 --> 00:18:05,254 affirmations right before bed journaling just 290 00:18:05,292 --> 00:18:08,454 taking a few minutes before you got to try to go to sleep to write 291 00:18:08,492 --> 00:18:11,914 down things that you're grateful for from that specific day. 292 00:18:12,112 --> 00:18:15,546 All of these different gratitude rituals can help 293 00:18:15,568 --> 00:18:19,226 you go to sleep. It can be a very powerful thing if you 294 00:18:19,248 --> 00:18:22,758 have a partner or a loved one who's sharing your bed. What if 295 00:18:22,784 --> 00:18:26,206 you tried turning to that person instead of saying whatever you might usually 296 00:18:26,308 --> 00:18:29,726 say, you just express gratitude for that person or 297 00:18:29,748 --> 00:18:33,634 for something specific that happened during the day. How might you then 298 00:18:33,672 --> 00:18:38,686 approach sleep with that attitude versus worrying 299 00:18:38,718 --> 00:18:41,860 about or talking about something that didn't go well that day? 300 00:18:43,030 --> 00:18:47,150 The key to feeling and experiencing gratitude during these rituals 301 00:18:47,230 --> 00:18:50,680 is to really focus on the thing that you're grateful for. 302 00:18:51,690 --> 00:18:55,606 Over time, these rituals become such a habit and such a part 303 00:18:55,628 --> 00:18:59,820 of your general routine that you will find you miss it if you skip it. 304 00:19:01,390 --> 00:19:05,430 Now, this is an odd one and it's really hidden benefit of gratitude, 305 00:19:05,510 --> 00:19:09,318 but gratitude helps your budget by reducing 306 00:19:09,414 --> 00:19:13,134 materialism. I have a friend who's getting ready to 307 00:19:13,172 --> 00:19:16,894 move and she has been blown away in a negative way by 308 00:19:16,932 --> 00:19:20,622 how much stuff she has just closets stuffed with things 309 00:19:20,676 --> 00:19:24,062 she has not worn and will probably never wear. 310 00:19:24,206 --> 00:19:27,874 But somebody bought all those items and we've been 311 00:19:27,912 --> 00:19:31,794 talking through her sense of shame around having spent all this money on stuff 312 00:19:31,832 --> 00:19:35,634 that she'll never wear. There might even be 313 00:19:35,672 --> 00:19:39,414 parts of your home that you can't move through as easily as you'd like 314 00:19:39,532 --> 00:19:42,440 because there's extra stuff hanging around. 315 00:19:43,450 --> 00:19:47,830 An easily forgotten gift from gratitude is that it reduces materialism. 316 00:19:48,570 --> 00:19:52,106 Because if you're grateful for what you already have, why would you want 317 00:19:52,128 --> 00:19:56,086 to keep going and buying more things? If I love my winter 318 00:19:56,118 --> 00:20:00,006 coat, if I'm grateful for my winter coat, I'm not going to feel compelled 319 00:20:00,038 --> 00:20:04,362 to go buy three more. So reducing materialism 320 00:20:04,506 --> 00:20:08,106 and practicing gratitude offer benefits that enhance your overall 321 00:20:08,138 --> 00:20:11,326 well being and happiness because it can have a big effect 322 00:20:11,428 --> 00:20:13,460 on your financial situation. 323 00:20:14,790 --> 00:20:18,274 Focusing on gratitude versus material things gives 324 00:20:18,312 --> 00:20:22,180 you more resilience. It strengthens your relationship and connection with others, 325 00:20:22,710 --> 00:20:26,654 and it helps you trust yourself more and give yourself a greater 326 00:20:26,702 --> 00:20:29,814 sense of belonging. Because you know the reason why 327 00:20:29,852 --> 00:20:33,062 people are in relationship with you is not because of your stuff, 328 00:20:33,196 --> 00:20:37,474 but because of who you are. So by reducing materialism and 329 00:20:37,532 --> 00:20:41,382 embracing gratitude, you can unlock a deeper sense of fulfillment, 330 00:20:41,526 --> 00:20:45,286 improved mental well being, and genuine happiness. 331 00:20:45,478 --> 00:20:49,366 Shifting your focus from possessions to gratitude brings 332 00:20:49,398 --> 00:20:52,554 you closer to living that more meaningful 333 00:20:52,602 --> 00:20:57,194 and purposeful life. So our final hidden 334 00:20:57,242 --> 00:21:01,310 benefits of gratitude is that gratitude boosts creativity. 335 00:21:02,050 --> 00:21:05,586 When you're happy and in a state of gratitude, it's easier to 336 00:21:05,608 --> 00:21:09,346 sit down and do something creative, like write a chapter in that 337 00:21:09,368 --> 00:21:13,186 book you've been promising, or paint a picture or work on 338 00:21:13,208 --> 00:21:16,774 that sweater that you've been crocheting. When you're in a 339 00:21:16,812 --> 00:21:20,102 happy and calm state of mind, you can be more 340 00:21:20,156 --> 00:21:23,526 creative. Time flies by, and you'll love the 341 00:21:23,548 --> 00:21:26,760 results from whatever project it is that you worked on. 342 00:21:27,450 --> 00:21:31,238 You might even find that when you're in a space of gratitude 343 00:21:31,334 --> 00:21:34,634 that you find solutions to problems that you were worrying about all 344 00:21:34,672 --> 00:21:38,214 day. But while you were in that negative spin, no fresh ideas 345 00:21:38,262 --> 00:21:41,914 came to you. No innovations, no new 346 00:21:41,952 --> 00:21:45,498 thoughts. So if you focus on gratitude 347 00:21:45,594 --> 00:21:48,782 and all the blessings that you have in your life, it's much easier to 348 00:21:48,836 --> 00:21:52,474 create. You can give your projects your full focus and 349 00:21:52,532 --> 00:21:55,570 tackle any problems with ease and joy. 350 00:21:57,030 --> 00:22:00,514 So gratitude is a habit, not just a 351 00:22:00,552 --> 00:22:04,066 feeling. And embracing gratitude doesn't mean 352 00:22:04,088 --> 00:22:07,318 that you'll never have another bad day. But it does mean that 353 00:22:07,324 --> 00:22:10,562 you'll approach those days differently, with less fear, 354 00:22:10,626 --> 00:22:13,654 because you know that you have another way of handling them. 355 00:22:13,852 --> 00:22:17,000 Instead of categoring everything that's going wrong, 356 00:22:17,610 --> 00:22:20,790 you can think back and look on something that you're grateful about. 357 00:22:20,860 --> 00:22:24,026 You can find something to be grateful for even in the 358 00:22:24,048 --> 00:22:28,250 midst of that bad day. Because if you look hard enough, you will find something. 359 00:22:28,400 --> 00:22:30,650 That's the power of gratitude. 360 00:22:31,650 --> 00:22:35,294 So quick reminder the eight hidden benefits of gratitude are that 361 00:22:35,332 --> 00:22:39,738 gratitude reframes adversity, strengthens relationships, 362 00:22:39,914 --> 00:22:43,778 lowers stress, improves your overall health, 363 00:22:43,944 --> 00:22:47,410 increases self esteem and confidence, improves the quality 364 00:22:47,480 --> 00:22:51,330 of your sleep, reduces materialism, 365 00:22:52,470 --> 00:22:54,770 and boosts your creativity. 366 00:22:56,150 --> 00:22:59,394 So let me encourage you to incorporate gratitude into your daily life 367 00:22:59,432 --> 00:23:02,278 by telling you this thing that I started a couple of weeks ago that I 368 00:23:02,284 --> 00:23:05,686 said blew my mind. So I've told you before about this app, Voxer that 369 00:23:05,708 --> 00:23:09,426 I love. It like, turns your phone into a walkietalkie of sorts 370 00:23:09,458 --> 00:23:12,314 and I talk to friends all over the place with it all the time. 371 00:23:12,352 --> 00:23:15,818 I love it. Instead of texting or heaven forbid, picking up the 372 00:23:15,824 --> 00:23:19,674 phone, who does that anymore? I will just pick up my phone and leave 373 00:23:19,712 --> 00:23:23,226 a message on Voxer and then on the other end, whoever I'm talking to clicks 374 00:23:23,258 --> 00:23:27,082 the little button and they can listen to me and we have whole asynchronous 375 00:23:27,146 --> 00:23:30,426 conversations. So earlier 376 00:23:30,458 --> 00:23:34,114 this year we started a practice afresh we had 377 00:23:34,152 --> 00:23:37,746 started before, but we fell of. So earlier this year we 378 00:23:37,768 --> 00:23:41,330 went back to this and we start every morning on Voxer 379 00:23:42,150 --> 00:23:46,226 naming three things that we're grateful for. And in 380 00:23:46,248 --> 00:23:49,814 the beginning, I'll be honest, sometimes I had to think for the 381 00:23:49,852 --> 00:23:53,446 three things. Now I routinely break the rules and 382 00:23:53,468 --> 00:23:57,062 I say more than three. I offer up more than three things. 383 00:23:57,116 --> 00:24:00,686 I have taken to regularly saying, okay, now here come my bonus. 384 00:24:00,738 --> 00:24:04,794 Gratitude because I'm cheating. Because there is more than three things. 385 00:24:04,912 --> 00:24:08,438 It is so much easier for me today to come up with more things I'm 386 00:24:08,454 --> 00:24:12,246 grateful for each and every day. Even on days when 387 00:24:12,288 --> 00:24:16,094 kind of nothing is going right, I can still pop into 388 00:24:16,132 --> 00:24:20,094 that boxer thread and name three things that I'm grateful for. It is 389 00:24:20,132 --> 00:24:23,358 amazing how it has changed my stress level, 390 00:24:23,524 --> 00:24:26,926 the stress level of my friends and loved ones. I have more than one thread 391 00:24:26,958 --> 00:24:31,026 going on where we talk about being grateful and 392 00:24:31,048 --> 00:24:34,322 then we'll tag each other. So if somebody's slacking off and not doing it, 393 00:24:34,376 --> 00:24:37,640 somebody will absolutely say, all right, who's next? 394 00:24:38,490 --> 00:24:41,670 All right, tag whoever's going next. 395 00:24:41,820 --> 00:24:45,506 It is something that we really look forward to and something that has absolutely changed 396 00:24:45,538 --> 00:24:48,950 how we interact with one another and how we interact with the world. 397 00:24:49,100 --> 00:24:52,738 Because we start very intentionally with thinking about 398 00:24:52,844 --> 00:24:57,162 we're grateful for before we even step foot out of bed or go 399 00:24:57,216 --> 00:25:00,074 make coffee or do whatever it is that we're going to do during the course 400 00:25:00,112 --> 00:25:03,626 of the day. Our frame, our filter, 401 00:25:03,738 --> 00:25:07,006 our intention for the day is to walk from a place of 402 00:25:07,028 --> 00:25:09,950 gratitude that has been magical. 403 00:25:10,850 --> 00:25:14,190 If you can't think of any other gratitude practice that you want to pick up, 404 00:25:14,260 --> 00:25:18,226 you don't want to journal, you don't want to talk about gratitude right 405 00:25:18,248 --> 00:25:20,066 before you go to bed with a loved one, you don't have to do any 406 00:25:20,088 --> 00:25:24,194 of those things. But can I really encourage you to try saying out 407 00:25:24,232 --> 00:25:27,582 loud to someone else three things that you're grateful 408 00:25:27,646 --> 00:25:31,186 for every day? I usually ask you to do 409 00:25:31,208 --> 00:25:34,166 that for 21 days, right? I'm not even going to do that. I'm just going 410 00:25:34,188 --> 00:25:37,462 to ask, if you'll do that for a week, will you do that for seven 411 00:25:37,516 --> 00:25:40,838 days? And then will you go to allegrativity 412 00:25:40,934 --> 00:25:44,620 gratitude and tell me what happened? 413 00:25:45,390 --> 00:25:49,402 Did it change your attitude? Did it transform some 414 00:25:49,456 --> 00:25:52,766 aspect of how you show up in the world? Will you do 415 00:25:52,788 --> 00:25:56,666 that? I hope so. Thanks so much for joining 416 00:25:56,698 --> 00:26:00,446 me. I hope that you are now understanding better the hidden benefits of 417 00:26:00,468 --> 00:26:03,742 gratitude and that you're willing to at least try being 418 00:26:03,796 --> 00:26:07,306 intentional about adding some gratitude into your daily 419 00:26:07,338 --> 00:26:10,190 routine. As always, 420 00:26:10,340 --> 00:26:14,094 you can visit the show notes for a full listing of all these benefits I 421 00:26:14,132 --> 00:26:17,554 went through as well well as any other resources like the scientific studies 422 00:26:17,602 --> 00:26:22,120 that are referred to. All of those can be found at the website@allegrativity.com 423 00:26:22,970 --> 00:26:27,062 Gratitude. Thanks for joining me. I'll catch you next 424 00:26:27,116 --> 00:26:27,720 time.