Ease Anxiety With This One Simple Habit
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A couple years ago, I radically changed the course of my life using one daily habit that I practiced regularly and still do to this day. I was able to ease anxiety with this one simple habit. It helped me to become happier, healthier, loving, peaceful and full of abundance. Anyone can practice this habit if they want to dramatically change their life from always feeling anxious, unhappy and uneasy.
“Wellness is the harmony between the mind, body and soul. It isn’t enough to just eat healthy and be active, you also have to work on the inside stuff too.”
~Sara Halcumb, RN
Gratitude Changed My Life
Here is the thing, it’s all about gratitude… more specifically practicing gratitude on a daily basis. When I started to write in a gratitude journal a few years ago, the direction of my life changed course. I noticed a shift from feeling anxious about where I was in my life, to feeling at ease and content.
It isn’t just little old me that gratitude has impacted. There is research behind why practicing gratitude can increase our overall well-being, thus easing anxiety.
Research on Gratitude
Robert A. Emmons, Ph.D., is the world’s leading scientific expert on gratitude. He is a professor of psychology at the University of California, Davis. He studied more than one thousand people, from all ages, and found that people who practice gratitude consistently report a host of benefits:
Physical
- Stronger immune systems
- Less bothered by aches and pains
- Lower blood pressure
- Exercise more and take better care of their health
- Sleep longer and feel more refreshed upon waking
Psychological
- More alert, alive, and awake
- Higher levels of positive emotions
- More joy and pleasure
- More optimism and happiness
Social
- More helpful, generous, and compassionate
- More forgiving
- Feel less lonely and isolated
- More outgoing
All of these reported positive effects of gratitude directly attribute to decreased feelings of anxiety. If you need more convincing that gratitude can positively impact your life, check out this article on the Benefits of a Gratitude Practice.
How to Cultivate Gratitude:
The first step on your journey is to start writing in a gratitude journal on a daily basis. This exactly what I did, and it changed the course of my life. If you need a gratitude journal to kickstart your practice, check out this one I designed myself and is available for you to purchase on Amazon.
It would also make for a great gift for that special friend or loved one in your life!
The journal is great because not only does it have pages to write what you are grateful for on a daily basis, it also has a section dedicated to goal setting. This way you can be grateful for what you have, while working to accomplish your dreams.
If you want to seriously increase your gratitude, try adding another practice to your daily journaling, such as a self-guided workbook.
To help you along, we have created a FREE 12 DAY GRATITUDE WORKBOOK for you- our loyal reader! This beautiful rose gold workbook is a great addition to any daily practice.
Your free workbook includes:
- Gratitude Affirmations
- Daily Gratitude Work
- Gratitude Checklists
- Self-Reflections
- Pro Tips
- Quotes
- Beautiful rose gold colors and inspiring pictures
The workbook is available as a free PFD download for you to print and complete on your own.
The Minimalism Connection to Gratitude
What does minimalism and gratitude have in common? As we declutter and get rid of that we don’t want or need, we may have less, but we can truly appreciate and be grateful for what we keep. We have few quality items that we really take care of and cherish.
Minimalism allows us to see that our lives are already full of everything we need. Gratitude does the same. This year I went through a life-changing event that deepened my views of minimalism and gratitude. Read my story on how a house flood increased the quality of my life.
Minimalism is a gratitude practice and gratitude is a practice in minimalism. They go hand in hand.
Final Words
Include a daily gratitude practice in your life such as our free gratitude workbook and watch how happiness replaces anxiety and stress. Let gratitude be a default setting in your life, not something that you think you have to do. If you are consistent and practice it daily, after a while it will just become a way of life.
Join the Discussion
How has gratitude impacted your life? What does your gratitude practice look like? Tell us in the comments below.
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Author
Sara Halcumb is a registered nurse, wellness writer, mother and wife. She loves teaching women how to be healthy in their mind, body and soul. Sara also loves to explore the beautiful PNW that she calls home with her family and their dog Bandit.
Sources:
Emmonds, R., Ph.D. (2010, November 16). Why Gratitude Is Good. Retrieved from https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/why_gratitude_is_good
20 Responses
I write my affirmations on sticky notes and post them in my mirror to see them everyday!! So helpful.
That’s an awesome idea. I might have to steal that. Thank you.
Gratitude is one of the most important things I’ve learned as an adult. Minimalism is something I also try to practice but it’s definitely a work in progress!
Yes, I agree that gratitude is one of the most important things in life. I too am a huge work in progress in the realm of minimalism… baby steps! 😉
Well I’m so glad I found this! This is exactly what I need in my life
Thank you so much for the support Renee.
These are some great tips! I love that you designed your own gratitude journal, it looks awesome.
Thank you Maggie. Designing the gratitude journal actually shifted the direction of my life… pretty cool.
I never considered this, but it’s so true! When we are happy and grateful for what we have, there is much less to be anxious about.
Thank you Sue. Yes, I feel my stress lower when I just start to be grateful for what I already have. It is a lifesaver.
I love this. I am always teaching my kids about gratefulness.
That’s awesome. I think teaching gratitude to our kids can help them become stronger emotionally in the future.
I’m glad I found this. I’ve cultivated the habit of mentally making a list of things I need to.be grateful for. I discovered it helps me to stay positive. I never knew it could work for anxiety as well. And I’ve not been writing them down.
Thanks so much for sharing.
Good for you! Sounds like you have been able to shift your mindset towards gratitude and positive thoughts.
Living a life focused more on minimalism and spending time outdoors has had a significant impact on my mental health in a positive way. As a society, we focus so much on trying to have everything, do everything, etc. and then wonder why we’re overwhelmed.
Exactly! You nailed it. I always say that nature is where I reset and unwind.
This is exactly what I’m looking for today, thank you for sharing
Yes, I really need to learn gratitude again. For a while I was writing three things I’m grateful for in my bullet journal, but I fell off the horse with doing my bullet journal and need to get back on track. 💕
Sara! I love this! This is such a great approach that I don’t think many people even think about. I deal with bouts of anxiety and I will definitely try this!
Hi Sarah,
So good to hear! Gratitude has truly changed my life.