gifts that start with j | Starting a Gratitude Practice and Counting the Gifts of PCOS This Thanksgiving

Starting a Gratitude Practice and Counting the Gifts of PCOS This Thanksgiving

As we approach Thanksgiving in America, there’s an increased focus on gratitude. Many of us will start gratitude countdown lists on FaceBook, or post our gratitude on Twitter or in pictures on Instagram.  Gratitude practices have nothing but positive benefits, especially for women with PCOS. Studies show that the practice of gratitude increases empathy, lowers stress hormones, improves depression, and increases positivity and motivation.

I tend to have an eternally optimistic nature, and can find the positive in almost any negative. On this theme, PCOS certainly holds a whole lot of negative for most of us, but here are a few things that I find quite positive about PCOS:

  • We gain muscle more easily when we work out than women who don’t have PCOS.
  • Knowing that you have PCOS now means that you are able to develop good health and self-care practices years
    – even decades – before others are forced into it in middle age.
  • You get connected into a whole community of cysters around the world who know exactly what you’re dealing with.
  • Because I’ve struggled with PCOS-related depression, irritability, and mood swings, I created PCOS Wellness, a website that provides all sorts of information specifically designed to help with the psychological issues of PCOS. Sign up for the mailing list today, and you’ll get a free, fun, beautiful, and useful guide to dealing with your food cravings (because after all, Thanksgiving is really the start of the endlessly sugar-filled holidays).


To start, increase or improve your gratitude practice:

  • Get a gratitude journal going (make it pretty if that motivates you) – or do it online with an app.
  • Commit to doing it nightly before bed, to improve sleep, or first thing in the morning, to start your day off with a brighter perspective. Put at least five things on your list, and switch it up!
  • Share it if you feel like it; keep it private if you don’t. Either way, you get the benefits. If you share, you might inspire others to do the same, or connect in some special way.
  • Express your gratitude for the mundane as well as the unique. There is nothing too small.
  • Join my free PCOS Psychology group on FaceBook, and post something you’re grateful for there.

References:
Emmons RA, McCullough ME. Counting blessings versus burdens: an experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well being in daily life. J Pers Soc Psychol. 2003 Feb;84(2):377-89.
Fox GR, Kaplan J, Damasio H, Damasio A. Neural correlates of gratitude. Front Psychol. 2015 Sep 30;6:1491. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01491. eCollection 2015. Retrieved 10.22.17.
Wood AM, Froh JJ, Geraghty AW. Gratitude and well-being: a review and theoretical integration. Clin Psychol Rev. 2010 Nov;30(7):890-905. doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2010.03.005. Epub 2010 Mar 20. Review. Retrieved 10.22.17.

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