Living A Life Of Gratitude — Physical Health Benefits (Part 3 of a Series)

October 14, 2024November 13, 2024 / jrmilson / 4 Comments

How is your October going so far? Here on the outskirts of St. Louis, Missouri, we had a high of 88°F on Saturday, still summerlike. However, Tuesday’s forecast predicts a high of 59°F on Tuesday with a low of 38°F Wednesday morning, with a possibility of the first frost of the season. Frost on the pumpkin time!

And that is how the month of October goes here now. Summers seem to get longer and longer each year, pushing what used to be September’s month of roller-coaster weather into October.

No longer faring well in hot weather and humidity, I look forward to cooler temperatures each Autumn, and will welcome and be grateful for the change this week, if even only for a few days before we possibly climb back into the 80s by the end of the week.

The temperatures are gradually trending downward week by week, and I am grateful for that.

Walking my little chihuahua, Allie, this morning, a mockingbird was singing from the top of a red maple tree across the street. And I offered a silent prayer of gratitude for him brightening our early morning walk.

Yesterday, the retractable leash that I used to walk Allie broke, with sixteen feet of lead line fully extended and no longer retracting. At 9:17 a.m. this morning, Amazon had already delivered a new one. And I am thankful for that.

What have you been thankful for lately? There are so many happenings, events, and occasions going on all around us all thru the day to be thankful for. Small things, as discussed in the first part of this series. Did you know that besides Mental Health Benefits, living a life of gratitude and thankfulness actually has physical benefits for our well-being?

It’s true. Hundreds of studies have shown that living a life of gratitude has many physical health benefits, including:

Reducing Heart Rate
Lowering Blood Pressure
Reducing Respiratory Rate
Increasing Immune Function
Speeding Recovery Time
Improving Cognition
Boosting Mood
Improving Sleep
Reducing Chronic Pain
Lowering Inflammation
Improving Digestion

Living a life of gratitude releases a flood of what scientists refer to as “happy hormones” in one’s brain, which then helps one to make better lifestyle choices.

As such, research has shown that grateful people are more likely to exercise, eat a nutritious diet, sleep better, and to engage in other healthy behaviors that can help reduce or prevent not only Type II Diabetes but also help to reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, dementia, chronic pain, insomnia, and even catching the flu.

That is quite a list, isn’t it? So, please allow me to ask again — what are you thankful for today? Please let us know in the Comments!

Living a life of positivity and gratitude clearly has its benefits. Being thankful — it’s a good thing!

“Thank You!” for visiting with us today! We are grateful for YOU taking a few moments of your day to share with us here. Because you are why we do this.

Please join us again next Monday, when we explore living a life of gratitude in a simple walk around the block.

Best Wishes & Blessings! — Jim (and Red!) 🤠 🐻 🍂 🍁 🍂 🧡

Continue with the Living A Life Of Gratitude series with Part 4 — “Living A Life Of Gratitude — It’s A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood!”

In case you missed it, I invite you to check out Parts 1 & 2 in our weekly Monday Morning series — Living A Life of Gratitude, and Mental Health Benefits leading up to the Thanksgiving Holiday.

You may also enjoy — “Happy October! Welcome Glorious Autumn!”

(Featured image credit — “Autumn Pumpkins in a Field, Watercolor,” created via Bing Image Creator AI)

If you enjoyed this piece, you may also like — “Mitakuye Oyasin — We Are All Related,” and “Walking A Mile In Another’s Moccasins; What Tracks Will We Leave Behind?”

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Take A Walk To A Park for Healthy Exercise & Fun!

October 10, 2024 / jrmilson / 2 Comments

Happy National Walk To A Park Day!

When was the last time you visited one of your local neighborhood parks? National Walk to a Park Day, celebrated on October 10th each year, encourages us all to visit a local park. Swing on a swing set. Play with children. Throw a Frisbee around. Kick a ball.

Or, simply take a walk thru the park and enjoy the changing Autumn leaves, feeling the refreshing cooler air on your face after a long, hot summer.

For those living in cities who may not have a large yard, local public parks serve as a community’s backyard, and offer the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors and visit with family, friends, and neighbors. A place to play, exercise (even if merely a short walk), and visit with Mother Nature for a spell.

I remember countless trips to parks as both a youngster, and then taking my own children to have a picnic, play on the playgrounds, fly kites, play tennis and handball, toss footballs, kick soccer balls around, and play catch and Indian Ball. And hours and hours of chasing Frisbees.

Yet sadly, according to statistics, about 100 million people, including 28 million kids, do not have access to a local, quality park within a 10-minute walk from home.

I encourage to take a walk to a park today. Or this coming weekend. And if too far to walk — to drive, roller skate, ride a bicycle, hitch a pony ride, or to get there somehow to enjoy time in a green space, get some fresh, and visit with nature. You will feel better for it, 99 3/4% guaranteed. Hope to see you there!

“Thank You!” for visiting with us today! We are grateful for you taking a few moments of your day to share with us here. Because you are why we do this.

And we are grateful to have local parks to visit, walk around, and enjoy the outdoors, always being thankful for the little things in life.

Please join us again next Monday, when we continue to explore Living A Life Of Gratitude, this time the Physical Benefits of living a life of thankfulness as we approach the Thanksgiving Holiday. Register today to be notified of every new post and feature in the future!

Best Wishes & Blessings! — Jim (and Red!) 🤠 🐻 🍂 🍁 🍂 🧡

In case you missed it, I invite you to check out Parts 1and 2 in my new Monday Morning series about Living A Life of Gratitude and Living A Life Of Gratitude — Mental Health Benefits leading up to the Thanksgiving Holiday. And “Happy October! Welcome Glorious Autumn!”

(Featured image credit — “Small Town Lane, Watercolor,” created via Bing Image Creator AI)

If you enjoyed this piece, you may also like — “Mitakuye Oyasin — We Are All Related,” and “Wishing You Deep Peace, Love, Happiness, and Joy; And A Very Good Day!”

In a world where we can be anything, please choose to be kind!