.png)
From my perspective, there's no reason to be afraid of aging, because if you age, you're lucky! The alternative is death. Drew Barrymore
It is true – the alternative of death means an end to our lives here on earth. For most of us we are not ready to go there. We have worked hard to get where we are at and there is still more we want to see – to do. Right?
Appreciating your life reflects the way you view things. You see the glass half full or half empty. Half full and you feel rich and content – half empty you feel it’s not enough and you are always wanting.
I meet people and view their lives and think “wow they have it really good”. Then they start speaking about their life and I realize they don’t see what I see. They see what is missing or they think something different would be better when all along they have the best that life could give them right in their hands. Then it’s “you don’t know what you have until it’s gone” as Joni Mitchell beautifully put it. I heard a statement once that stuck with me “God’s gift to you is life – your gift to Him is what you do with that life”.
Realistically speaking though, things could always be worse and we must count our blessings. Count them, enjoy them, cherish them.
This may sound like a lot of preaching to you. In your mind you might be saying “What do you know about my life Cheryl?” Maybe I know nothing about your life but I do know about people and science. Science says that an attitude of gratefulness, or thankfulness, for what we do have instead of what we don’t have, creates a sense of joy because we recognize what we have and cherish it. Joy produces gratitude and that creates a greater sense of well-being and physical health. Research is ongoing at many major universities and think tanks regarding the effects of gratitude on our health – both physical and mental health. Over 4.4 trillion dollars was spent worldwide on health and wellness in 2020 and is expected to exceed a 10% growth in the coming year. Studies show that an attitude of gratitude result in:
23% lower levels of cortisol (a stress hormone)
A 25% reduction in dietary fat intake
16% lower diastolic blood pressure and 10% lower systolic blood pressure
9-13% lower levels of Hemoglobin A1c, a key marker of glucose control that plays a significant role in the diagnosis of diabetes
Lower levels of creatinine, an indicator of the kidney’s ability to filter waste from the bloodstream What do you spend on health and wellness? Gyms, trainers, food products, body products, books, meditations, medications, massage, equipment, spas, travel…the list is ongoing. But the fact remains that it is an ever growing area especially now with depression and mental health issues rising. Could an attitude adjustment enrich what you are investing in health and wellness? We are coming out of a shocking two years of COVID, involving lock downs, masks, and living with an epidemic of a virus requiring vaccines. It will be ongoing. Many businesses closed. Many businesses changed the way they did business. For many it was a wake up call. Basic health practices and a strong immune system meant a resistance to the virus and a very good chance of recovery if you contracted the virus. Those with health issues got hit a lot harder – those with a strong immune system were more resistant to it. It is your choice – your life – and it’s in your hands.
It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver. Mahatma Gandhi
Comments