Consistently evoking positive emotion and carrying an attitude of gratitude is right up there with fresh whole food and exercise in importance when it comes to restoring your energy, focus, and fitness. Yet it's often set aside as a “nice to do when I have time” activity.
According to researchers at the Institute of Heart Math, published in a paper called “The Appreciative Heart: The Psychophysiology of Positive Emotions and Optimal Functioning” by Rollin McCraty and Doc Childre, “Positive emotions have been demonstrated to improve health and increase longevity, increase cognitive flexibility and creativity, facilitate “broad-minded coping” and innovative problem solving, and promote helpfulness, generosity, and effective cooperation.”
Wow.
In recent years, their research has concentrated on studying the effects appreciation has on your heart rhythms and understanding how heart-brain interactions affect your body, mind, and emotions.
And the message is really clear. Positive emotions, especially appreciation, trigger health enhancing changes in your body involving your hormones, enzymes, digestion, detoxification pathways, immune system and cardiovascular system.
And the good news is that you can invest just a minute a day to your “appreciation practice” and still reap the rewards.
So every day for the next 30, I'll be publicly posting my appreciations for the day.
Join Me for 30 Days of Gratitude!
Try it!
Simply go down below to the comments box and post your appreciations for the day.
You'll be pleasantly surprised at the changes in your “energy, vim, and vigor.”
Evoke appreciation before each meal, and you'll soon find your digestion is humming and your energy is rising.
Dr. Ritamarie's Appreciations for Today – Day 1
- My once rebellious teenage son, Eric, now 17, is a joy to be with and is studying for SAT's and applying to college.
- My husband, Scott, who cleans up the messy kitchen after my many food experiments and is following along with my B4 Be Gone Program and dropping some stubborn weight.
- My new to teenager-hood son, Kevin, who hasn't hit the rebellious “I don't want to be around you anymore” state, still asks me to cuddle with him at night before he goes to sleep.
It feels really good to write these things rather than just think them.
I feel like my inner radiance has tripled by writing them rather than just thinking them. The emotional state these thought evoke are powerful and invigorating.
Go ahead, give it a try and discover the magic for yourself. Write your appreciations below.
I appreciate being able to buy the groceries I want.
I have a good job
I have a wonderful husband.
This is wonderful! Here are my three for the day:
1. My husband of 20 years. We are going on a date tonight and I’m excited to spend the time with him.
2. My eldest daughter is starting her last year of college. I look at her and I’m amazed by how she’s grown and matured.
3. My job as a Christian Life Coach. I love my work and helping others makes me a better person every day.
I appreciate my cousin Steve, and that he is traveling 370 miles to go see my Mom with me tomorrow.
I appreciate that my job allows me to work some days away from the office.
I appreciate Dr. Ritamarie!
Today, day 1, I appreciate:
1.- the fact that I feel comfortable talking about what I appreciate in public.
2.- my husband, who loves me, even when he doesn’t understand me.
3.- My cat Shenpa, sitting on my desk as I write this, because she chooses to live with me.
I appreciate that my amazing husband puts up with all that our family situation demands.
I appreciate my adorable cat who makes me smile from heart to toes every day.
I appreciate that I’m alive!
1. I appreciate my body and my body’s ability to support and carry me through my day.
2. I appreciate and give thanks to my dear friends, especially Marcia and Aneka who I spent a couple hrs today catching up and talking about Louise Hay and how powerful her work is ..and coincidence I am on your site writing my gratitudes!
3. I appreciate my work and easy flow of clients who really appreciate and enjoy yoga.Thank You
I appreciate the opportunity to help my friend with her raw good classes this weekend….it keeps me motivated. And, I appreciate my family so much; they are so previous to me.
I am grateful for my joyful daughter Evelyn (age 20 months.)
I am grateful for the beautiful season of Autumn.
I am grateful for the wonderful people I share my life with.
I appreciate my husband’s support of my efforts to be healthy.
I appreciate my various mentors’ wisdom (like that of Dr. Ritamarie) that leads me to the right paths.
I appreciate my body’s responsiveness to the postive changes I make.
I appreciate my bodies responsiveness to healing on this journey.
I appreciate the community of nutritionally conscious persons working together in helping to heal each other or offer insightful information to make the vibration of life resonate & be solid.
I appreciate my home & its essence.
1. I appreciate my loving husband and all that we share.
2. I appreciate seeing my oldest grandson play tonight in the season’s closing flag football game.
3. I appreciate that once again I was able to speak with my mother and tell her I love her.
4. I am thankful for the program and all the work Dr. Ritamarie is doing.
I appreciate that I wake up every morning and get out of bed using my own two legs.
I appreciate my sons who put their heads together to help me out with my car so often.
I appreciate my DIL who has trained so hard and is competing today.
I appreciate Dr. Ritamarie’s teachings and emails
I appreciate my knowledge on health which allows me to make healthy choices
I appreciate nature’s foods that nourish my body and give me abundant health
Today (day 2) I appreciate:
1.- How lucky I am to have found Dr. Ritamarie, her vast knowledge and her willingness to share it with us.
2.- I appreciate that i am able to follow her teachings, and positive effects they have on this body.
3.- I love the life I am living!
I am grateful for the first snow today.
I am grateful for the friendships in my life.
I am grateful for the bounty of healthy food.
I appreciate that I live in an area with abundant local, organic foods.
I appreciate my little family…my supportive husband and my beautiful daughter
I appreciate our prosperity.
On day 3, and on every single day,I appreciate:
1.- My sons, I am in awe of the magnificent men they have become.
2.- My daughters-in-law,for the truly incredible women they are, and the life they have created,not only for their family, but for all of us.
3.- My grandsons, who every time they see us jump for joy, and fill our hearts with the world!
6 things I appreciate as I wasn’t able to get to the computer yesterday 🙂
1. living in CA with the moderate weather that lets us have fresh produce year around
2. the shelter of my home
3. comradary of friends
4. artists and their beautiful creations we enjoy
5. the holidays and the chance they bring to celebrate with loved ones
6. people who creat delicious recipes for me to follow
I appreciate Dr Ritamarie for her dedicaton and passion!!
I appreciate everyday as an oportunity to start all over and strive for being a better human being
I appreciate my boyfriend for loving me for who I am and sharing my ups and downs and green smoothies!!
I appreciate that the sun shined all day and I got to hang 3 loads of laundry on the line by the sea
I appreciate picking the last of the grapes with my husband today
I appreciate that we got an extra hour today, as I am recovering from Jet Lag
A heart full of gratitude tonight.
1. My son returned from 7 months in Afghanistan.
2. My other son & his girlfriend arriving tonight for a four day visit.
3. A special husband who adores me.
Life is good.
I appreciate being alive and feeling this amazing energy that this program is giving me
I appreciate having the energy and commitment to meditate everyday
I appreciate having a family that I adore and love so much!
1. I am profoundly grateful for the research done by the Institute of HeartMath, and for Dr. Ritamarie teaching us the techniques they developed to bring healing to our lives through bringing our head into congruence with our heart, and filling our heart to overflowing with appreciation throughout our days.
2. I am deeply grateful for the privilege to participate in Dr. Ritamarie’s B4 Be Gone Program, and for the transformational difference it is making in my health and life.
3. I am grateful with joy for all of you who are reading these Appreciation Journal entries, and for your choosing to create positive emotion by “practicing appreciation” through sharing what you appreciate daily in your posts.
I appreciate having the resources to be able to go on this B4BGone journey!
I appreciate having time to be able to take a hot soaking bath today!
I appreciate being able to talk on the phone to 2 of my daughters and hearing them laugh and enjoy catching me up with their busy lives!
I appreciate that I am so determined and persistant;)!!!
1. Happy that my 18 year old is eating vegan and enjoying dinner more!
2. Thankful that househunting is happening.
3. So glad for the phone consult today. Made a difference.
I am grateful for all the love in my life.
I am grateful for the abundance of healthy tasty food that is available.
I am grateful for Evelyn’s joyful laughter.
I appreciate being able to get up in the morning with little prodding.
I appreciate my loving friends.
I appreciate the ability to focus on important things in my life.