Have you allowed your emotions to bottle up inside you? Bottling up your emotions can create havoc with both your physical and your mental health.

It’s important to learn to master your thoughts, feelings and emotions. Learn to share them in a positive manner so that they don’t cause you or anyone else undue stress or harm.

One of the best ways to manage your emotions and improve your health at the same time is by expressing gratitude. You can find something to be grateful in almost every situation.

What are you thankful for right now?

Who matters in your life?

Can you name 5 things that you are grateful for?

Even when the world seems to spinning out of control around you, there are many things that you can be grateful for.

Share your gratitude with others. Other people may not know how much you appreciate them. You cannot know another person’s feelings or thoughts and shouldn’t assume they know yours. Tell everyone that means something to you – how grateful you are for them.

What do you think will happen when you share your heart felt gratitude with those you love? Can you see them smile? Can you see their eyes light up?

When you share your gratitude with others it helps your heart, mind and body thrive. A flood of chemicals are released into your body – It feels good! Both you and the receiver will benefit.

There are many physical objects that you may have that you are grateful for. Have you ever thought about sending a thankful message to the manufacturer? Customer service probably gets bogged down with complaints – How nice it would be for them to hear of your gratitude! Give them some of your gratitude and you’ll spread joy all around!

Sharing gratitude is easy and only costs you a little bit of your time. Here are some simple ideas to start sharing gratitude with others.

* Tell your loved ones you care for them
* Hug a friend who’s hurting
* Smile at a stranger
* Open the door for a stranger
* Offer a stranger a helping hand
* Make time to listen to someone who needs to talk
* Appreciate the beauty of nature
* Volunteer your services
* Greet everyone with a smile
* Wish all you come into contact with a “Great Day!”

Focus on What Really Matters

Many people are unhappy with their current circumstances. They may feel like they don’t have enough money, a good job, the house they want or the car they want. They don’t realize that the only way to change their current circumstances is to begin changing their thoughts.

You can begin to change your thoughts by being connected with what really matters. Be grateful for all that you have been given. Be grateful for your home, your bed, your carpet, your clothes, your car – EVERYTHING.

There will be obstacles and stumbling blocks in life, but there is joy all around you as well. When you tap into that joy, keep a positive attitude, and show how grateful you are, you’ll prove that you’re able to let go of unnecessary baggage. It’s a great feeling, and one that you can give yourself, today, right now. What a wonderful thing to be grateful for!

“If future generations are to remember us more with gratitude than sorrow, we must achieve more than just the miracles of technology. We must also leave them a glimpse of the world as it was created, not just as it looked when we got through with it.” Lyndon B. Johnson

In 1965 the United Nations Meditation Group created World Gratitude Day. During Thanksgiving dinner the attendees pledged to hold a Gratitude Gathering the following September 21st in their home countries. This grew to be an annual event. The purpose was to express appreciation to individuals and to groups that have made the world a better place to live.

Take the time to show your gratitude and appreciation to the world and those around you.

Today is a great day for you to develop your attitude of gratitude. Make it a point to show gratitude to an individual or group every single day. I promise you, if you look for things to be thankful for – you’ll never run out of things to find.

Show your appreciation to the people in your life: your spouse, children, parents, friends and co-workers. Just by saying “Thank You” or “I’m glad you’re in my life”, could make a huge difference in someone’s life.

Don’t wait till tomorrow or next year, do it today and make a difference in someone’s life.

Today my gratitude goes out to the women before me. Strong women who made a difference in this world – such as:

* James Barry, The first woman physician in modern times. She had to disguise herself as a man in order to practice medicine. She became the first doctor-surgeon in the British Empire to perform a Caesarean section in which both the mother and child survived.

* Svetlana Savitskaya, a Russian cosmonaut. She was the second woman and space. On her second voyage – on July 17, 1984 she became the first woman to walk in space. She logs almost four spacewalking hours.

* Susan B. Anthony founded the National Woman Suffrage Association in United States. In 1872 attempting to prove the constitution permitted women the right to vote, she cast a vote in Rochester, New York in the presidential election.

* Rosa Parks is said by some to have started the civil rights movement. After refusing to give up her bus seat to a white passenger, she was arrested and fined. Later she played an active role in the NAACP and a spokeswoman for civil rights.

* Candice Lightner founded Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) after her 13 year old daughter was killed by a drunk driver.

*Jackie Mitchell, the first woman Professional Baseball player. She pitched for Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth – striking them both out.

* Annie Smith Peck, an adventurer – in 1895 She became the first woman to reach the peak of the Matterhorn. She paid for her expedition by writing magazine articles. In 1911 at the age of 61 she climbed Mt. Coropuna in Peru and placed a “Votes for Women” banner in the summit.

All of these women knew what it took to succeed and to achieve their dreams.

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This goes to show that regardless of your sex, race or religion you can accomplish great things and leave the world a little better than you found it!

I’d also like to say a big THANK YOU to all of my readers. You are a joy and if I’ve made someone’s life a little better – or more bearable, than I have accomplished much.

Happy World Gratitude Day!

A friend says something funny, and you laugh so hard you begin to cry. Perhaps this uncontrollable laughter goes on for several minutes.

Did you feel the tension dissipate?

What you are experiencing is a release of the stress you’ve been carrying for days. The old adage, “Laughter is the best medicine,” is true.

Why is laughter your secret weapon to beating stress?

You may be surprised to know that laughter is equivalent to fifteen minutes on an exercise bike. It not only lowers the blood pressure, but increases the endorphins in your body which contributes to a healthier immune system.

Life is hard; why make it harder?

If you can determine what makes you laugh; whether it’s going to a comedy club; surrounding yourself with funny people; watching a comedy on TV, or simply reading a book of jokes, you will be amazed how laughter can improve your physical and emotional well-being. Laughter actually distracts you from the underlying stress, and brings you to a balanced and calm state. It is, as they say, infectious.

It is important to laugh as much and as often as you can. It is the cure-all for stress, frustration and, in some cases, depression. Perhaps you’ve used the expression, “One day we will remember this, and laugh our heads off.” By having a positive attitude, and using laughter as a mechanism to celebrate life, instead of stressing over it; you’ll become healthier and less stressed when confronting negative events.

“Laugh and the world will laugh with you….”

With so much going on in the world today, laughter is a precious commodity we all need to get through a day. As you go through your daily routine, find something to laugh about. Look at the bright side; tell yourself the cup is half full; laugh until it hurts. You may not have control over certain aspects of life, but you can control the stress. Laughter is your secret weapon to beating stress.