Hey guys! We’re back with another podcast… this time we talk about gratitude. We will be talking about what we are grateful for, and what we are thankful for overcoming. Also, we discuss what we are appreciative to have on our horizons and how gratitude affects our mental health. Here you can read studies on how giving thanks can actually help your mental health. It can create an optimistic outlook and positive change.

Also, during our holiday party we ran off to the side to record a quick podcast together and reflect on the things we are grateful for.
Joining us today are Cindy, our other Cindy, Dri, Nahjeera, Jonathan, and me- Eliza!
Check it out and let us know what you’re grateful for!

Click here to check out an older discussion on gratitude I started two years ago!

Want to practice appreciation yourself? Gratitude has real benefits towards your mental health- but sometimes its hard to practice when the world seems dark or overwhelming. Looking for something in life to feel grateful for having (or for not having) can help change your world, and self view for the better. Check out this article on gratitude journals and tips for starting one here.

I took my boyfriend’s sister out for her birthday on Monday and we decided to stop in one of those shops that sells interesting gifts, knick knacks, and those hilariously inappropriate cards. We came across a journal that was a bit crude, so naturally I was curious to read it. It was called the F*** it journal. It is optimistically pessimistic because it gives you 100 writing prompts to write 1,000 things you know you will never accomplish/obtain in your life.
For example: Sure, I would love to be Queen of England someday, but I know that will never happen. My boyfriend might treat me like a queen, so that’s good enough for me! So for those who hate to make bucket lists because they know the list is too “out there” to actually finish, this journal is for you!

We both got the journal and we are giving each other a year to finish the prompts and then on her birthday next year, we will read each other’s journals.

It gives us time to truly think about our wants and what is realistic for us to accomplish in our life. Also, it gives me a chance to prove to myself that maybe I can actually do something that I put on the F*** it journal I didn’t think I could do.
Let’s see, maybe I will win the Nobel Peace prize or have a pet lion?!

I have an awful time setting goals that are way over my head, so this is actually a very good grounding tool to bring me back to the present and come up with realistic expectations for myself. Plus it’s fun and I will get to learn even more about my “sister from another mister!” Maybe you will consider doing this journal challenge with someone close and will have to a chance to read their journal too?