Asking a few members about what they wanted to read or see in this week’s blog/newsletter and the concept of gratitude came up. It’s interesting how often people are looking for insight with things other than exercise videos or tips on fat-loss to improve their life and overall well-being.
More commonly, people exercise as a means to feel better. Some want to grip and grind the iron. Others want to move and sweat as much as possible. The benefits of moving better, getting stronger, improving endurance and building confidence are profound.
Research has shown exercise provides us with a heightened sense of happiness and energy.
Practicing gratitude also helps us realize these same outcomes.
What is gratitude?
Gratitude is being thankful and appreciative for what you have.
Along with exercise, gratitude can improve your overall mental health. When you reflect on the all the good in your life, you remove negative thoughts improving your outlook toward everything you do. Exercise and gratitude reduces mental stress and improves your emotional state.
On the physical side, we’ve all read and listened to people talk about all of the positive outcomes from exercise.
Beyond reducing mental stress, practicing gratitude helps us become calmer allowing us to get more quality sleep, reducing blood pressure, and reinforcing our activity and nutritional choices.
If you go to a gym like ELEVATE, you’ll meet people in your gym community that become your best friends and favorite people to be around. You go to their weddings, celebrate baby showers and offer support during difficult times.
Gratitude will also forge strong relationships because grateful people value those in their circle who mutual care for them, show compassion, empathy and understanding.
At ELEVATE we often discuss the overall training effect – the consistency of showing up and managing effort based on how you feel. All of these variables lead to resiliency, as we like to joke – being hard to kill.
When you’re practicing gratitude, you’re focusing on what’s good in your life right now. This keeps us “neutral” and level-headed when we’re faced with challenging situations.
Getting stronger and moving better leads to confidence. People try new things that they may never have attempted or contemplated before.
Practicing gratitude allows you to recognize your personal self-worth which leads to improved confidence. Knowing your strengths and recognizing your achievements improves your confidence when facing adversity.
There are boundless benefits when we are consistently exercising and practicing gratitude. Being active, living a meaningful life and being capable doing the activities you enjoy most will enhance your well-being (one of our ELEVATE pillars) which will lead to a powerful and fulfilling life.
Take a few minutes right now to reflect on all the good things in your life, because they’re present with you and can improve how you feel as much as exercise. Put the two together and now you’re compounding a very powerful habit stack.
Grateful for you.