Appreciation

As I've been looking into the whole concept of how the magnetic field of the heart can influence our health, happiness, and indeed the feelings of those around us, I chose to read the book put out by Heart Math Institute by it's same name.

In the book, it mentions that care, appreciation, forgiveness, and love all create a harmony within our sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems that preserve precious nerve energy which leads to more energy in day to day transactions.

When we feel "drained" at the end of the day it's because we have allowed our heart's rhythm to get out of sync.

One powerful way to get it back into sync is to get into Gratitude or Appreciation about yourself, other people and what you have in life.

Criticalness, judgmentalness, hate, anger and fear all create acidic environments in our bodies which set up the stage for disease.

If we set a time out each day, or preferably several times a day to feel grateful for our lives and to appreciate ourselves and to appreciate those around us, it has an enormously energizing effect.

It's a simple, profound and yet challenging thing to do since we live in such a judgmental society.

One way of getting back into gratitude is comparing ourselves with someone less fortunate than us. Can we see what life would be like if we didn't have what we have? We tend to always compare ourselves with those doing better than us. Never with those worse off.

Be grateful. Someday it may be gone.

Be grateful. Appreciation is a highly motivating force to change. When we lose our health, we appreciate it so much more and are willing to work hard to get it back. That appreciation becomes a driving force until we see the positive changes that can add to that appreciation.

Be careful, though, to not "adapt" as the book says, and lose our appreciation and let our new good health become the new norm and WE TAKE IT FOR GRANTED.

TAKING THINGS FOR GRANTED and COMPARING OURSELVES TO OTHERS are two of the quickest ways to unhappiness.

My appreciation journal started when I lost something very precious to me: my dearly beloved 18 year old cat whom I appreciated yet still somehow managed to take for granted that he'd always be there.

I now stop and smell the roses more. When at work I consciously try to mentally appreciate each person that steps in front of me that I interact with. It's hard sometimes, especially when they are grumpy, but it works. They sense it and it calms them and it calms me too.

Give other's the benefit of the doubt. They are carrying a heavy unseen load. Appreciate them for all they've gone through and what they're dealing with today.

Go light on yourself and appreciate your uniqueness in all the universe. There never has been nor ever will be another you ever in the history of mankind.

Appreciate each sunny day, each raindrop, each flower, each tree, each traffic jam to be used to deep breath and meditate, each opportunity  given to affect another person's live for the better which is in every single transaction you have.

In appreciation, don't be afraid to hold other's accountable which is tantamount to saying "I know you are capable of doing better. This is beneath you."

In appreciation, praise good intentions and efforts even if the outcomes are not as expected.

In appreciation, say thank you for kind gestures and deeds done to you and hug your children, spouses, sisters, brothers and parents and let them know the difference they make in your life.

EACH DAY. APPRECIATE.

And watch your life change.