November is often a month where thankfulness and gratitude are even more present with Thanksgiving and the Holidays around the corner…

I also know this time of year is not always easy for everyone. So if entering the Holiday season is more challenging for you than joyful, I’m sending you love, my friend.

In this article, you’re going to uncover the science of gratitude and why it should be a daily practice (365 days of the year) that will help you age more youthfully.

The truth is, what you think about, you bring about.

This isn’t just a cute phrase…It’s scientifically proven.

Another way to say this is…

What you focus on expands.

If you continually focus on what you don’t have, your problems, your aches and pains, wrinkles, negative thoughts, complaining, etc…

Guess what your mind is going to search for more of?

Yup. All the things you DON’T want.

One way to start retraining your mind to be more positive is to have a daily Gratitude Practice.

Whether it’s writing in a journal or speaking out loud.

(I recommend both)

When you have a daily Gratitude Practice, you are physically changing the neural pathways in your brain to focus on more positive things in your life.

The more you do this, the more your brain will be trained to find gratitude and thankfulness.

I know, sometimes we all need a good vent session, right ladies?

However, the problem is… staying in those negative emotions too often and for too long a period of time will not help you.

It will only hurt your mind, body, and spirit over time.

Which does NOT help you age more youthfully.

I get it.

Life is challenging and hard sometimes, but let’s try to find and FOCUS on the beautiful and positive aspects of life more than the negative.

I’m sure you’ve been around someone who is naturally positive and someone who is naturally negative…

Who do you like being around more often?

Who makes you feel better?

I hope the positive person ;)

Practicing Gratitude is scientifically proven to help you age more youthfully because of the abundance of health benefits it has for your mind, body, and spirit.

>> Grab yourself a gratitude journal and start by writing:

5 things you’re grateful for first thing in the morning

5 things you’re grateful for before you go to bed

If you have a partner or children living at home, it’s even better to take turns and share.

If you don’t already have a daily gratitude practice, NOW is the time to start.

Here are 4 Reasons Gratitude Will Help You Age Youthfully:

1. Reduce Aches & Pains

I think we can all agree that physical pain/discomfort is something we’d all love to avoid as much as possible. According to a 2012 study published in Personality and Individual Differences, grateful people report feeling healthier than other people!

It’s also not surprising that grateful people are also more likely to take care of their health because... When you feel good, you do good.

With fewer aches and pains, it’s easier to exercise more regularly, which in turn promotes a life of longevity.

2. Improve Your Mental Health

"Expressing gratitude can positively change your brain," says Kristin Francis, MD, a psychiatrist at Huntsman Mental Health Institute.

It boosts dopamine and serotonin, the neurotransmitters in the brain that improve your mood immediately, giving you those positive feelings of pleasure, happiness, and well-being.

In a study on gratitude and appreciation, participants who felt grateful showed a reduction in the level of cortisol, the stress hormone. They had stronger cardiac functioning and were more resilient to emotional setbacks and negative experiences.

Over the years, studies have established that practicing gratitude allows us to handle stress better.

3. Improve Self-Esteem

Studies have shown that gratitude reduces social comparisons. Whether you’re comparing yourself to someone who has more money, a better job, or better skin, you name it…

Anytime you get caught in a “comparison trap,” you are actively reducing your self-esteem.

Grateful people are able to appreciate others’ accomplishments. When you’re already grateful for your life, the feeling of “lack” will be less present.

Anytime a feeling of resentment pops up for you (we all feel this at times), I want you to stop yourself at that moment.

Pause, and take a deep breath.

Instead of feeling resentment or jealousy…THANK that person (silently or hey, if you’re with them, maybe in real life!?) Thank them for showing you what’s possible.

4. Get Better Sleep

According to a 2011 study published in Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being…

Writing in a gratitude journal improves the overall quality of sleep. One way to practice this is spending 10-15 minutes jotting down a few things you’re grateful for before bed.

If you want to UNLOCK the full potential benefits of this, don’t just write things down. FEEL gratitude around what you’re writing.

If you write things down without FEELING grateful, you’re NOT going to experience the full benefits of gratitude.

The Science of Gratitude:

Since I’m a nut for science, facts, and statistics…I’ve collected a list of statistics from UC Davis Medical to share with you as well:

Gratitude is related to 23% lower levels of stress hormones (cortisol).
Keeping a gratitude diary for two weeks produced sustained reductions in perceived stress (28%) and depression (16%) in healthcare practitioners.
Practicing gratitude led to a 7% reduction in biomarkers of inflammation in patients with congestive heart failure.
Two gratitude activities (counting blessings and gratitude letter writing) reduced the risk of depression in at-risk patients by 41% over a six-month period.
Dietary fat intake is reduced by as much as 25% when people are keeping a gratitude journal.
A daily gratitude practice can decelerate the effects of neurodegeneration (as measured by a 9% increase in verbal fluency) that occurs with increasing age.
Grateful people have 16% lower diastolic blood pressure and 10% lower systolic blood pressure compared to those less grateful.
Grateful patients with Stage B asymptomatic heart failure were 16% less depressed, 20% less fatigued and 18% more likely to believe they could control the symptoms of their illness compared to those less grateful.
Older adults administered the neuropeptide oxytocin showed a 12% increase in gratitude compared to those given a placebo.
Writing a letter of gratitude reduced feelings of hopelessness in 88% of suicidal inpatients and increased levels of optimism in 94% of them.
Grateful people (including people grateful to God) have between 9-13% lower levels of Hemoglobin A1c, a key marker of glucose control that plays a significant role in the diagnosis of diabetes.
Gratitude is related to a 10% improvement in sleep quality in patients with chronic pain, 76% of whom had insomnia, and 19% lower depression levels.