Growing Gratitude with Gratitude P.I.E.

Growing Gratitude with Gratitude P.I.E.

Gratitude has been widely studied in recent years. Higher gratitude is associated with higher self-esteem, optimism, and positive emotions (Unaneu, 2019). In addition, practicing gratitude can also lead to lasting positive physiological changes in the brain (Kini, 2016). Read more about the positive effects of gratitude in this module on the MyBestSelf101 website. If gratitude has such impactful implications to our health and happiness, it seems as though it would be wise to enjoy its effects more than just once a year on Thanksgiving - the way that we often enjoy pumpkin pie. We can enjoy the positive benefits of gratitude year round by experimenting with these three simple tactics to grow our thankfulness with a hypothetical slice of “gratitude P.I.E.” The acronym P.I.E. stands for Pause to appreciate your physical body, Internalize small victories, and Excitement for others. As you sit down to your Thanksgiving smorgasbord this year, remember that you can experience the sweet and life-changing effects of boosting your gratitude every day of the year by serving yourself a slice of your very own gratitude P.I.E.

Navigating Physical Injury for an Engaged Life

Navigating Physical Injury for an Engaged Life

Dancing was my favorite social outlet and my go-to coping mechanism to combat stress or sadness; however, after my injury, I could not turn without my knee painfully giving out. I was devastated. To combat this life challenge, I decided to use the strategy of engaged living. Engaged living is the practice of identifying and living by personal values despite obstacles (Shearer & Warren, n.d). You may not be recovering from an injury like me; however, we all experience unexpected changes. When you experience obstacles or unplanned paths in your life, remember that you still have control to live by your values. The beauty of values is that they can apply to any situation. As you realign your actions to your values, satisfaction will follow. Engaged living is an effective strategy to cultivate happiness and overcome challenges. 

Combatting Scrupulosity with Mindfulness Through ACT

Combatting Scrupulosity with Mindfulness Through ACT

Dealing with something mentally that you don’t understand or can’t identify can be extremely frustrating. It is common to have thoughts like, “why doesn’t anyone else seem to be struggling with this” or “I wish I knew how to help myself.” I experienced thoughts like these before I learned about scrupulosity. As I was working through my own experience with mild scrupulosity, I practiced multiple components of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), which made my thoughts much more productive and manageable. 

The Art of Perseverance: Overcoming Life's Challenges

The Art of Perseverance: Overcoming Life's Challenges

At one point or another, we have probably all been told not to give up on something, whether it be a homework assignment, a challenging workout, or something as big as a career. We have also probably responded to such encouragement in different ways depending on the circumstance; perhaps one day, we are eager to push through a challenge, and another day, we might forgo a challenge in favor of comfort. However, when we abandon the easy route and do persevere through something that is hard for us, we feel rewarded at the end. Today, I want to explore perseverance and its rewards in more depth. 

Cultivating Hope

Cultivating Hope

Have you been in as what has seemed to be the darkest of nights, a night so dark that the sun never seems like it is going rise? Deep down, however, was there a part of you that knew the sun was going to rise and that the night would end? I am willing to bet that even in the darkest moments, there are parts of us that know the sun will shine again. I am also willing to bet that hope is what got you through those dark nights. If you are in your own dark night now, hold on. It is much easier said than done, but have hope. If you are wondering how to have hope, this post will describe ways to have hope.

Life is Better When You’re Laughing

Life is Better When You’re Laughing

The amazing thing about humor is that it can take many different forms. Humor can include laughing at a joke or smiling while reading an amusing story.  Humor can have numerous benefits. These include an overall increase in happiness, forgiveness, belongingness, social connectivity, and higher life satisfaction (Satici, 2020). While the exact reason that humor has such a positive impact on people's lives is not proven, researchers have speculated on why humor is so efficient. Humor can have such an impact on our lives. Through my studies and my own personal experiences, I have seen how beneficial humor can be especially when coping with difficult circumstances. As people learn more about humor and the positive and negative effects it can have, I hope that others will be able to implement it into their own lives and see the positive effects for themselves.

Savoring Through Tragedy

Savoring Through Tragedy

Despite these obstacles preventing me from savoring, the most recent diagnosis of my brother’s cancer was a chilling dose of reality. No matter how much I was hurting, I knew I had to implement savoring in my life.  I decided to start simply by utilizing a couple of different methods that I will list below. These methods were taken from ideas established by Sonja Lyubomirsky (2008) in her book “The How of Happiness: a new approach to getting the life you want”. Although the changes were not immediate, and I still have a long way to go, I quickly noticed that the time I savored with my brother became some of the best moments that we have had together in years. Savoring did not take away the pain, but it made it bearable. Better yet, it made my experiences joyful, despite the pain that I felt at the same time. Not only did I feel happier, but my relationship with my brother improved. I know that no matter what happens, I will always be able to look back on these moments with fondness, despite their bittersweet nature. I know that if savoring helped me find joy in this difficult period of my life, it can help you, too.  

Forgiveness—Because Holding a Grudge is a Terrible Workout

Forgiveness—Because Holding a Grudge is a Terrible Workout

Forgiveness is a decision that you make. Different circumstances require different methods for healing, reparations, and letting go. You can’t always speak for or understand someone else’s motives. You can’t always know if they feel sorry for what they did. One thing you can know though, is that forgiving allows for personal peace and happiness. Personal liberation is a feeling many strive for. Life gets busy very quickly with work, friends, and family, and people are an essential part of societal interactions. It’s my hope that you can consider relationships in your life that could be repaired or strengthened. Timing is different for everyone, but the power of forgiveness is yours to wield.

Deep Gratitude

Deep Gratitude

Throughout the years, we have all probably made several “gratitude” lists—you know, those ones inspirational speakers encourage you to make. You follow their instructions by finding a blank piece of paper and jotting down 8-10 different things that you’re grateful for. Maybe on your list are things like your job, your family, a next-door neighbor, or a favorite food. 

In my experience, I feel a sense of warmth and happiness as I make lists like these. However, I must admit that somehow, these lists have never really stuck with me—they get shuffled among all my other papers, journals, and books, and if you were to ask me to show you a gratitude list I’ve made, I can’t say I would be able to find one. 

As a society, we praise gratitude. As an individual, I also praise it. So, why do I find myself making list after list, never really remembering the things I put on them?