YOUR 2025 BRAIN BRAWN • MINI RESOLUTION GRATITUDE PRACTICE • WEEK 1

View this post with graphics in your browser

Good morning and welcome to a NEW mini resolution: GRATITUDE! You may be wondering… how exactly can gratitude improve cognitive function?


Track Your Progress!
 
We urge you to stick with all our past mini resolutions, too. Use our new log to to track all your progress!
 
Questions? Email your Motivated Mondays Coach Michele at [email protected].
 
If you are new to Motivated Mondays, you can review the 2025 content here.

Developing an Attitude of Gratitude
Cognitive Function and a Gratitude Mindset

 
“When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.”
 
-Lao Tzu,
Chinese philosopher and writer

Using brain MRIs, researchers have discovered an abundance mindset (AKA gratitude) leads to positive brain changes and improves neural networks. In addition, practicing gratitude has been shown to lower heart rates, owing to an activation of the “rest and digest” system (AKA the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). The rest and digest system is the counter to the "fight or flight" stress response, which we discussed in September.


The chemicals released by the "fight or flight" response are detrimental and contribute to cognitive decline. In addition, a gratitude practice has been found to improve insomnia. And after our mini resolution to improve sleep back in March, we are now aware of the impact sleep has on the brain.
 
 
Also, gratitude is a positive social behavior which can improve social bonds and we had a past micro resolution around loneliness and social isolation and know how a lack of social connections can impact on the brain.
 
Finally, individuals with a strong capacity for gratitude tend to engage in other healthy behaviors with positive effects on the brain, such as exercise and a healthy diet (also past mini resolutions!).
 
Researchers at University of Berkeley have concluded “grateful people take better care of themselves and engage in more protective health behaviors like regular exercise, a healthy diet, regular physical examinations… a grateful heart is a healthy heart.” So, let's get started!

Each day of our Gratitude Resolution, write down 1-3 items you are grateful for!

Getting Started
 
We know it can be tough getting started, so here is a list of basics to consider:
​

• Housing
• Heat/hot running water
• Food/water
• Employment (or retirement!)
• Hobbies
• Loved ones
• Technology
• Special skills or talents of yours
• Places you have visited or lived
• Objects which have made your life better
• People who have impacted your life

 
If you would like to go beyond a few notes on our log, you may wish to consider a gratitude journal, a gratitude jar (jotting down your thoughts on a scrap piece of paper, dating it and then stuffing it in a jar), or a gratitude collage. You may even wish to download an app to help keep your gratitude journal, such as the 365 gratitude journal, or the brighter gratitude journal.
 
As with any new habits, plan for obstacles that may get in the way of your daily practice. Is the best time of day first thing in the morning with a cup of coffee—or maybe at night before bed? Will you need a reminder? If so, try alarms on your cell phone, conspicuous post-its, or recruit a family member and make it a joint activity. Miss a day? Double down on your list!

 
We’ll see you next week!
 
And don’t forget Wednesday is World Kindness Day! Let us know how you practice and observe kindness that day.