Mental Health – Take the Time to be Thankful
With Thanksgiving fast approaching, it’s time for many of us to reflect on the year so far and take a break from our busy lives. There are many reasons to take the time to be thankful for everything we have, and this is something we are always trying to do at Braxton Gilbert Fitness. Keep reading as we share how taking a break to reflect and be thankful can help with your mental health this year.
Giving Thanks Makes You Happier
When we are caught up in our daily activities and busy lives, it can often be hard to find the time to be thankful for everything we have. We often take our homes and jobs for granted, but there are so many other people who would do anything to have what we have. For this reason, we recommend taking time out this Thanksgiving to look around and think about everything you have. In fact, studies suggest that gratitude practices can make you happier without changing anything in your life. Many people like to take five minutes each day to write down three things they are grateful for. By doing this each morning or night, you’ll soon realize how much you have to be thankful for in your everyday life.
There are many ways you can cultivate gratitude on a regular basis, and Thanksgiving is the perfect time to put this into practice. After spending time with your family and friends this holiday season, write them a thank you note or email to express your appreciation. This will help you to nurture your relationships while also boosting your happiness levels. After a busy day of celebrating with your family, take half an hour to sit down and journal about how you are feeling. You’ll soon see that you have so much to be grateful for, which can help to improve your mental health. Even when we are feeling stressed or anxious, by taking a few minutes out to think about our lives, we soon see that life isn’t all as bad as we think it is.
Gratitude Meditation
A great way to take a short break on a daily basis is with a gratitude meditation. When you have a little more time around the holiday season away from work, try to build this into your daily routine. You don’t have to spend hours a day meditating to see the benefits, and instead, just start with five minutes a day. Spend this time thinking about everything you are grateful for or use a guided meditation that focuses on this topic. It’s a great way to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life for a few minutes. Meditation is known for its benefits to our mental health, which is why we highly recommend anyone give it a try.
The Importance of Taking a Break
If you are someone who struggles to take a break from work or training with personal trainers in Mobile, know that sometimes a break is the best thing you can do. Don’t feel guilty for taking a day off from our gym in Mobile, and instead, realize that you’ll come back feeling refreshed and ready to take your training up a notch. Especially if you are self-employed, it can feel almost impossible to walk away from your emails for even a day. Make sure you give yourself time to spend with your family this Thanksgiving so that you don’t regret missing out on one of the biggest celebrations of the year. Life goes by way too fast, so ensure your priorities are in the right place.
Humans weren’t made to work every day of the year, and this is something that many of us need to be reminded of. Taking a break doesn’t have to mean sitting in front of the television all day, but it does mean having a change from your typical routine. Whether you are staying at home or traveling for Thanksgiving this year, it’s one of the best ways to reset and give your mind and body a break. So many of us spend all of our time connected to the internet and technology, so the holiday season is the perfect time for a digital detox. After a few days of relaxing with your family, you’ll find that you feel ready to tackle any challenge that comes your way in the future.
Looking After Your Mental Health This Thanksgiving
While the holiday season is usually a great time to spend with family and friends, for anyone struggling with their mental health, it can feel very overwhelming. Make sure you are still giving yourself some alone time to rest and recover. For anyone who struggles with social anxiety, you might feel overwhelmed by spending all day, every day with your family and friends. Carve out a couple of hours each day to relax and do something alone, whether that’s working with various types of fitness trainers or chilling out with a good book.
Don’t put too much pressure on yourself with how much you will achieve when taking a break. Just because you aren’t working, it doesn’t mean you have to complete dozens of projects around the house or cook for your family all day long. Remember, you deserve a break as much as everyone else, so order takeout and give yourself a night off once in a while. When you notice your energy levels are low, it’s a clear sign that your body and mind need a break. Keep this in mind in the future instead of leaving it too late until you feel burnt out from working too much.
Thanksgiving is one of our favorite times of the year here at Braxton Gilbert Fitness. We encourage you to take some much-needed time off to enjoy yourself with your friends and family. You’ll find that after just a few days off, you return to the gym and work feeling refreshed and ready to tackle anything that comes your way. Don’t feel guilty about taking a few days off this year, as you’ll find that the benefits to your mental and physical health are well worth it.