How Gratitude Can Shift Your Energy and Physical Health

Gratitude isn’t just a social nicety; it’s a powerful tool for healing your body and enhancing your energy. Research shows that cultivating a mindset of gratitude can significantly influence your physical health. Let’s explore how embracing gratitude can transform your well-being.

What Is Gratitude?

Gratitude is everywhere—from gratitude journals to yoga classes and meditation circles. But what does it really mean? According to Oxford Languages, gratitude is a feeling of appreciation and thankfulness. When you focus on gratitude, you invite happiness and well-being into your life. This shift in mindset can alter your physiology, thanks to the biochemistry of emotions.

The Science Behind Gratitude

When you think a thought, it triggers an emotional response. This emotional reaction releases neurotransmitters and neuropeptides into your body, causing chemical changes that affect how you feel. These changes impact your nervous system and can either initiate a stress response or a relaxation response, depending on your thoughts and feelings.

The real transformation occurs when you cultivate gratitude. Over time, it rewires your subconscious, shifting your focus from worries and anxiety to appreciation. You'll find your mind naturally generating positive thoughts, almost effortlessly. Just as muscles grow stronger with exercise, your subconscious becomes more adept at fostering positivity with a simple practice like maintaining a gratitude journal. This small investment of time can yield significant benefits, enhancing your overall mood and well-being throughout the day.

The Mind-Body-Energy Connection

This chain reaction—from thought to emotion to physiological response—illustrates the mind-body-energy connection. Your thoughts have a direct impact on your body’s functions and energy levels. By focusing on gratitude, you can cultivate positive energy that promotes healing. In fact, this healing effect is so profound that it’s a foundational recommendation I offer to clients in my practice.

When you experience a positive emotion, biochemical changes flow through your body. According to Dr. Joe Dispenza, your body cannot distinguish between real and imagined emotions; the cells respond similarly in both cases. By flooding your body with positive emotions, you harness a powerful healing tool, and gratitude can easily make this a part of your daily routine.

The Gut-Brain Connection

Your gut microbiome, a complex ecosystem of bacteria in your intestines, is sensitive to your emotions. In fact, about 80% of serotonin—a key neurotransmitter that regulates mood—is produced in the gut. This highlights the importance of gut health for mental well-being. By practicing gratitude, along with maintaining a healthy diet and managing stress, you can boost your gut health and serotonin levels without medication.

How to Use Gratitude for Health

Incorporating gratitude into your daily routine can enhance your mood and shift your mindset in just two minutes a day. Here’s how to get started:

1. Choose a Journal: Grab a simple notebook or a beautiful journal that inspires you.
2. Set a Time: Dedicate a few moments each night to reflect on your day. This practice can promote a restful night’s sleep. I recommend keeping your journal by your bed and setting aside one to two minutes just before bedtime.
3. List Three Things: Write down three things you’re grateful for each day, starting with “I am grateful for...” Whether it’s a significant event or something simple, acknowledging gratitude helps shift your mindset. List these statements with bullet points in the way that works best for you. Don’t worry about your grammar, spelling, or handwriting; this is for you!
4. Make it a Habit: Keep your journal in a visible spot to remind you to continue this practice each night before you drift off to sleep.

Not only will you learn to focus on gratitude and appreciation for what is happening in your life each day, you’ll also set a positive tone for your sleep. You’ll go to bed with positive thoughts and energy at the top of mind versus worries.

Many find that this simple exercise leads to an increased awareness of gratitude throughout their day, often within just a few days, signaling a positive shift in their subconscious mind.

Gratitude and Your Energy Health

Gratitude generates a surge of positive energy that promotes healing. Positive thoughts align your immune and nervous systems with health. If you struggle to identify gratitude, you may have energy blockages stemming from past traumas or limiting beliefs. Techniques such as affirmations, prayer, meditation, and spending time in nature can help clear these blocks. For persistent issues, consider consulting a professional energy healer to release stored energy and repair your body’s innate ability to heal, creating a healthier, more vibrant future.

Conclusion

Embracing gratitude is a simple yet powerful way to improve your physical, mental and energetic health. By focusing on positive thoughts, you calm your body’s physiology and promote overall well-being. With just a small investment in time and materials, a gratitude journal can transform your mindset, mood, and energy. Start today and watch your health flourish!

Sarah Lascano is the founder of RayZen Energy where she is an energy medicine practitioner, medical intuitive and healer. It is her passion to help people recover their health and reclaim their lives through expert energy medicine and practical wisdom. Learn more at rayzenenergy.com.