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What I learnt from a 4 yrs old gratitude list?
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My colleague Kaja ( who helps me bring these emails to you) has a 4 yr old son.

Sometimes she shares things that he says innocently. I find wisdom in them and that brings a smile on my face. Let me share some that may bring a smile on your face too.

She writes in her gratitude journal every night. Because her son is 4, he does not understand the word “Gratitude”, so she tells him that she writes things that bring a smile on her face.

(That is why he has given me the title of “Boss of all smiles” as my picture is at the back of Stress to Joy Guided Gratitude Journal that she writes in)

So, when she is writing, she also asks him what brings a smile on his face. He comes up with responses like:
  • “Arms to give snuggles,
  • Mouth to show a smile,
  • Eyes to see mother’s smile,
  • Ears to hear sister’s laugh
  • Toys to play with,
  • T.V. to watch,
  • Music to dance to,
  • The sun that wakes me up”.

I thought, hmm, I have done my gratitude journaling for last 14 + yrs but never thought Sun as a blessing. Not only it gives us light and heat, but our existence also would not have been possible without it.

The other time, he said; “My tummy is not hungry because I have this banana.”

It made me realize,  what a blessing it is to have enough food to eat so we don’t feel hungry.

Did you know some 795 million people in the world do not have enough food to lead a healthy active life? That’s about one in nine people on earth. The vast majority of the world’s hungry people live in developing countries. Among which 12.9 percent of the population is undernourished.

According to the USDA, this is not just a problem in the developing world. Even in America, more than 41 million people face hunger, including 13 million children.

You may know that Muslims have recently finished their month of Ramzaan when they fast for 30 days. One of the purposes of fasting is to develop the realization of how important the blessing of food is. And also to develop empathy for people who don’t have it.

Most traditions have some ways of giving thanks for the food.

I grew up saying “Shukar” which means thanks at the end of each meal. Although I write about being grateful for the food in my journal every morning, sometimes I forget at work when I am eating during a meeting or on the go.

Since my colleague has shared this list with me, I have become more cognizant. I have decided to make special efforts to say my thanks every time I eat, even when I eat during a meeting or on the go.

So, what brings smiles on your face?

Would you start asking your kids what brings smiles on their faces that they could be grateful for?

Would you start saying thanks for the food you get every day?

Let me know what you do to keep your focus on things you have rather than things you don’t? Gratitude practice in any form can train your brain to be positive. It can help you be happy and grateful no matter what life presents to you.

PS: If you would like your copy of Stress to Joy Guided gratitude journal to help you start, resume or take your gratitude practice to the next level, you can get it at drrozina.com or Amazon.

Dedicated to your health and happiness,

Dr. Rozina

#1 Best Selling Author, Speaker, and Psychiatrist
www.drrozina.com

Join me on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or sign up for my newsletter

The Stress to Joy® program is available in
eBook,

Print Book 

Audio Book

Online Course

Guided Gratitude Journal

I share many tools and techniques that I have found to be helpful. They are not intended to replace treatments. Please seek treatment from licensed medical or health professionals as needed. I change all names for privacy.

what-to-choose
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When You Feel Angry… How do you react?
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When the milk boils, it spills over and messes up the stove. 

(I hate to clean the furnace when milk spills over, and it is so hard to remove the stains from frequent spills).

When water boils, it rises above.

It changes into steam. 

Water changes form.

It becomes pure.

Even when it spills, it extinguishes the fire.

What do you choose to be like in the steam of stress?

Take a moment to reflect.

Let me know what you think.

In addition, don’t miss out on the simple and practical tools for minimizing stress and maximizing your joy sent right to your email. Sign up today and get an instant download of a 1-minute relaxation exercise for busy people.

Dedicated to your health and happiness

Dr. Rozina

#1 Best Selling Author, Speaker, and Psychiatrist
www.drrozina.com

PS: if you would like your copy of the stress to joy guided gratitude Journal, you can get it here

Join me on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or sign up for my newsletter

The Stress to Joy® program is available in
eBook,

Print Book 

Audio Book

Online Course

Guided Gratitude Journal

I share many tools and techniques that I have found to be helpful. They are not intended to replace treatments. Please seek treatment from licensed medical or health professionals as needed. I change all names for privacy.

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Things that we take for Granted
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One of my patients recently informed that she stopped her gratitude practice. She told me that she got bored. She couldn’t think about things to be grateful for.

Let me share with you a basic comfort of life that I brought up and she had a moment of realization.

She said; “I never realized that I have so many comforts of life that I could be grateful for. I take them for granted because I always had them. Many people don’t. I could see how it would help me to continue this practice that helps me train my mind to be happy and positive”.

So what was that basic comfort; Easy access to a working toilet.

You may say that everybody has it. Well, not always. Recently, a very cute first grader shared this point in class when we were listing things to be grateful for.

She said; “We have three toilets in our home. Two are not working. When my sister goes in the one that is working, she forgets that other people may be waiting.”

Funny? Can you relate? We all may have had some experience of when you couldn’t get access to a working toilet either the flush is not working or something else. How did you react to when you needed to go immediately? Especially if you had diarrhea or incontinence going on.

I grew up in a developing country, and I was fortunate to have a toilet and running water in my household. But, so many poor people didn’t.

When I visited a relative in India, I had to go to an enclosure. It was a little way from home. We needed to carry a pot of water in hands.

When I went to Europe for the first time, I had several experiences. These experiences increased my awareness of this simple comfort, we take for granted.

We took a train on the first day in Spain. When we got off, I felt the urge to go. We looked all over but could not find the signs. Due to the language barrier, we couldn’t find it even though one lady at a store, pointed in a direction and said something.

We kept going in that direction and ended up being outside the station. So we went back inside and when the next train arrived I asked someone who spoke English.

Guess what he said? “There is no public toilet in the station.” He said; “The best option is to find a restaurant about a mile away from where you can use the toilet.”

Oh my God! it was so hard to make to that restaurant. Finally, when I was able to, I felt the deep appreciation of this simple comfort, I have always taken for granted.

Even in London, in a popular marketplace, I had to walk almost a mile to take my daughter to a toilet.

In Paris. I had to pay €1.20 to use the facilities.

Did you ever have a similar experience? Not only in other parts of the world but homeless people even in the US, don’t have access to the simple comforts of life that we take for granted.

So, when you find it difficult to think about things to be grateful for, consider simple things you may have that other people don’t.

Gratitude practice not only brings a positive feeling, but it also has a positive effect on our brains.

If you haven’t started or have stopped your gratitude practice start it or resume it today. Reflect on simple things you may have taken for granted. You will be able to increase your joy and decrease frustration in your life.

In addition, don’t miss out on the simple and practical tools for minimizing stress and maximizing your joy sent right to your email. Sign up today and get an instant download of a 1-minute relaxation exercise for busy people.

Let me know what you found most useful and if you have any questions.

Dedicated to your health and happiness

Dr. Rozina

#1 Best Selling Author, Speaker, and Psychiatrist
www.drrozina.com

PS: if you would like your copy of the stress to joy guided gratitude Journal, you can get it here

Join me on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or sign up for my newsletter

The Stress to Joy® program is available in
eBook,

Print Book 

Audio Book

Online Course

Guided Gratitude Journal

I share many tools and techniques that I have found to be helpful. They are not intended to replace treatments. Please seek treatment from licensed medical or health professionals as needed. I change all names for privacy.

depression and anxiety
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What to Do When Someone You Know Is in Crisis – Depression & Anxiety
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Many people feel scared and don’t know what to do when someone talks about suicide. I want these stories to help those people.

Ethan Call, a college student, was worried when he noticed that his friend—who normally attended church every Sunday didn’t show up to teach Sunday School that day. He knew that she had been struggling with depression and anxiety. Hence, he texted her and asked if she was okay but she wasn’t.

Gwen Cubit, a mother from Texas, was worried when her son texted her from Maryland asking her to call him as that was urgent. She picked up the phone and found him in the throes of an emotional crisis—he wasn’t sure if he wanted to kill himself or someone else.

Think about the last time you worried about a friend, a family member or a neighbor who is suffering from depression and anxiety.

Many of us can sense when something isn’t quite right. However, the fear of being intrusive, overstepping our bounds or saying the wrong thing to prevent us from acting. So, far too often, we do nothing to help. 

Luckily, Ethan and Gwen knew exactly what to do. They both had recently been trained in Mental Health First Aid. Here they learned how to recognize when someone might be experiencing depression and anxiety problem and furthermore mastered an action plan to help.

Noticing the red flag, Ethan left the church and finally drove to his friend’s house.

Immediately, the Mental Health First Aid action plan kicked in. He sat with her and listened to her about her feelings—without judgment—over milk and cookies. Ethan gave her information about where and how she could access professional help. He encouraged her to turn to her friends, family and faith community for support. Now, Ethan’s friend is working with a counselor and doing much better.  Finally, she got help.

Gwen immediately recalled an important strategy from her Mental Health First Aid training: stay calm.

She kept her son talking, asked questions about what he was doing, where he was and where his family was. She took his risk of suicide seriously and encouraged him to go to the hospital with his father-in-law, who lived in the area. Her son agreed, and she stayed on the phone with him until she heard him check in with the administrative nurse at the ER. Her son was diagnosed with depression and anxiety however, he is doing much better today. He got help.

Each of these stories begins the same way: a person trained in Mental Health First Aid notices that something isn’t right. And each story ends with a person in distress getting the help they need.

But when people don’t know what they’re supposed to do or don’t have an action plan for experiencing a mental health or substance use problem—the stories can end much differently.

Mental Health First Aid takes the fear and hesitation out of offering support to someone in an emotional crisis. It provides critical tools for helping people that can mean the difference between life and death.

Today, more than 550,000 Americans are trained in Mental Health First Aid. That’s 550,000 people who would know when and how to react to a person in crisis. And I and our team at Shifa Health are proud to be a partner in that progress. But in a nation of more than 318 million, 550,000 is not enough.

This month, we celebrate Mental Health Month.

We recognize the incredible strides we’ve made in promoting understanding, increasing opportunities and improving the lives of people living with mental health and substance use problems.

Mental Health Month is an opportunity to reflect on how far we’ve come. It is also an opportunity to acknowledge how much more work there is to do.

In January, the National Council for Behavioral Health launched the Be 1 in a Million campaign—a national effort to train one million people in Mental Health First Aid.

Since the launch of the campaign, more than 50,000 new first aiders have been trained.

Do you think you would want to be prepared if and when your friend needs you? Be 1 in a Million. Get trained. Spread the word. Offer support to someone in need. Because—as Ethan, Gwen and so many like they know—recognizing how and when to step in and offer help can change, even save, a life.

Let’s all be part of the campaign.

Who knows, someone trained may be there to help you (or a loved one) when you need them.

Please share this resource to help those that may be suffering from depression and anxiety.

In addition, don’t miss out on the simple and practical tools for minimizing stress and maximizing your joy sent right to your email. Sign up today and get an instant download of a 1-minute relaxation exercise for busy people.

Let me know what you found most useful and if you have any questions.

Dedicated to your health and happiness

Dr. Rozina

#1 Best Selling Author, Speaker, and Psychiatrist
www.drrozina.com

Join me on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or sign up for my newsletter

The Stress to Joy® program is available in
eBook,

Print Book 

Audio Book

Online Course

Guided Gratitude Journal

I share many tools and techniques that I have found to be helpful. They are not intended to replace treatments. Please seek treatment from licensed medical or health professionals as needed. I change all names for privacy.

purpose-of-life
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What Is Your Purpose? Why Are You Doing It?
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Every day may not be perfect but every day has a purpose.

Have you ever asked yourself before doing anything as to why you are doing it? Pick any one of your leisure activities or family time or anything else that you’re doing and ask what is the goal of doing it?

What happens when you travel to a place for vacation and your luggage gets lost? Do you get upset and frustrated? The outburst would have been the same for all. When I lost my luggage while on a family trip, I also got very upset.

But, I reminded myself what’s the purpose of this vacation?

The purpose was to enjoy time with family, so I let myself calm down and focused on the purpose.  I started thinking about ways how we are going to enjoy, which places to visit and it automatically changed the direction and we enjoyed our vacation despite the hurdle.

The purpose of sharing this story is to make you understand that even if in the path of your purpose you face many hurdles, once you focus on your purpose, you will be able to reach your destination.

It’s like using your compass to stay in a direction you have chosen for your life; to be happy, peaceful and joyful.

COMPASS is the acronym to remember the seven habits of happiness we use in the program Stress to Joy.

P of our COMPASS represents “Purpose”.

You have often heard this saying when you’re eating the banana eat the banana throw away the peel. We don’t get stuck in the peel and not eat the banana.

I was with my friend the other day and we went to pick her daughter from school. She had a game at her school that day. The first thing her mom asked her was did you win the game?

Her daughter was really upset and she said no. She started giving reasons why they lost the game.  But, was that the real purpose of playing games?

The actual purpose is to enjoy and have fun while playing games, winning is an additional part.

So, what may be a better way to focus on purpose? What if my friend would have asked her daughter, did she have fun playing the game? Hence, it would allow her daughter to focus on real purpose and enjoy the sports weather she wins or not.

When you start gauging the purpose of doing everything, your level of happiness goes higher and the level of stress goes down.

Let’s start practicing it from today.

How do you do that?

I suggest that whatever you do whether you are setting up your goal, whether you are setting up a to-do a task or whether you are doing a leisure activity, whatever you are doing ask Why? What is the purpose of my doing?

Steven Covey recommends writing a mission statement for life. This word “Mission Statement” seems too big or too difficult concept for some. But, come to think of it; What is a mission?

It’s just deciding the purpose of whatever you are doing. Just think every day, what you want to do and what is the purpose and that will eventually help you reach your goal.

My purpose in sharing this blog is to bring your awareness to your purpose so you can achieve your goals despite any hurdles that may come in your way of success.

Click here to watch the video on purpose focus thinking from Stress to Joy 21-day online course.

Let me know what you found most useful and if you have any questions.

Dedicated to your health and happiness,

Dr. Rozina

PS: Many people ask me if I have more videos like these.  Well, this video is from the “Stress to Joy 21-day Online course”. It consists of 21 of these short videos, audio downloads, daily worksheets, and 21 bonuses. If you like immediate access to all the contents of this course, you can get a discount today at

https://stresstojoy.com/online-course

#1 Best Selling Author, Speaker, and Psychiatrist
www.drrozina.com

Join me on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or sign up for my newsletter

The Stress to Joy® program is available in
eBook,

Print Book 

Audio Book

Online Course

Guided Gratitude Journal

 

I share many tools and techniques that I have found to be helpful. They are not intended to replace treatments. Please seek treatment from licensed medical or health professionals as needed. I change all names for privacy.

Mother's day
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The Best Way To Make Your Mother’s Day Special
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The Best Way to Make Your Mother Happy

I ask most of my patients; “Tell me three things you are grateful for.” Recently a patient answered; “I am grateful that my mom is still with us.”

The interpreter in the room and I realized what a blessing it is to have our mothers in our lives. The interpreter said let me text my mom right away.

In our busy lives, so many times we forget the gift we have called mother. We take it for granted until…

Mother’s day is one opportunity to remind us and express our gratitude towards our mothers.

How do you share with your mother that you are grateful for her?

What do you do to let her know every day and especially today?

I believe the best way is to express that appreciation is a specific and sincere manner. Share how you are following her teachings and that her efforts have made you a better person.

Either make a personal card or even if you buy a card, write a special note with it.

“I love you, mom. You, by just your presence, bring happiness to me.

I also appreciate all you have done for me, especially that time when you…

You supported me, gave me courage.

Today whatever I do and whatever I am…  I give you credit for it.

I couldn’t have done it without you.

Thank you for being my…

The way that specific appreciation is going to make her feel, nothing else can. A mother feels truly happy when she sees that her efforts have made an impact. When her children appreciate her, she feels the inner joy.  

So this mother’s day, and on and off throughout the year, give your mother a personalized note.

Appreciate her for being part of your life with specific reference to something she did — express gratitude for how she affected you.

If your mother has passed away from this life and moved on to the next stage, write a note to her, anyway. Her soul would be happy.

Share with me what you appreciate about your mother.

In gratitude to my mother, being a mother myself and all the mothers, as a gift, I have made my award-winning, best selling book; “Stress to Joy” FREE for a limited time.

If you want to give this gift to your mom, your self or a wonder woman in your life that could benefit from it. Check it out here and spread the love!

Happy Mother’s day,

Dedicated to all Mother’s everywhere!

 

Let me know what you found most useful and if you have any questions.

 

Dr. Rozina

#1 Best Selling Author, Speaker, and Psychiatrist
www.drrozina.com

Join me on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or sign up for my newsletter

The Stress to Joy® program is available in
eBook,

Print Book 

Audio Book

Online Course

Guided Gratitude Journal

 

I share many tools and techniques that I have found to be helpful. They are not intended to replace treatments. Please seek treatment from licensed medical or health professionals as needed. I change all names for privacy.

set the stage to achieve goals
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Struggling to Achieve your Dreams? Then Watch This Video
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“I wish I could achieve my dreams, but I cannot, because…”.

Do you ever find yourself saying this? You feel that you can’t achieve your dreams due to the limitations you have. Most people do, at least sometimes, including me. I recently watched this funny Ted talk and felt so inspired, I wanted to share it with you.

I particularly liked how this person uses humor to deal with life difficulties and how her mindset is helping her in adjusting to her limitations. Her approach is allowing her to achieve her dreams, build a foundation, and make a difference in many lives. All this despite physical disabilities and social obstacles.

Watch “I got 99 problems… palsy is just one | Maysoon Zayid.”

Let me know how you address your limitations and achieve your dreams in life.

Don’t miss out! For tools to help reduce your stress and maximize your joy sent right to your email, sign up today. In addition, you will get an instant download of a 1-minute relaxation exercise for busy people.

Let me know what you found most useful and if you have any questions.

 

Dr. Rozina

#1 Best Selling Author, Speaker, and Psychiatrist
www.drrozina.com

Join me on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or sign up for my newsletter

The Stress to Joy® program is available in
eBook,

Print Book 

Audio Book

Online Course

Guided Gratitude Journal

 

I share many tools and techniques that I have found to be helpful. They are not intended to replace treatments. Please seek treatment from licensed medical or health professionals as needed. I change all names for privacy.

grateful vision
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Vision Board Planning
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Pat, a friend, shared her frustration with me; “How can I be confident and affirm so that I have the best job possible when I am receiving only rejections to all my job applications?”

She was trying to recover from her condition and get back to a good job.

Vision board helps her visualize what she wanted in life.

She was having difficulty feeling confident about her ability to achieve her goals.

When Pat faced the above dilemma, I advised her to add a Grateful Achievement and change her vision board to Grateful Vision using advanced gratitude concept. She took a manila folder with two plain sheets of paper pasted/stapled on each side. One side was her Grateful Achievement, and the other side was Grateful Vision.

Before doing this exercise, she was feeling like a total failure. She could not feel the confidence that she could achieve her goals so was having a hard time putting energy in her goal/intention/vision. Using this technique helped her.

The next time I saw her, she had a big smile on her face. Her energy was palpable. She felt confident yet humble.  When she did this as part of her daily practice, her goals remained in front of her, and she kept on taking deliberate steps towards her goal. She was close to achieving success.

I shared the step # 1 in the blog Grateful Achievement. Here, I share step #2, Grateful Visions.

As I mentioned in the previous blog, for visualizing her goals, Pat had made a vision board.

What is a vision board?  

A vision or dream board is a collage or poster that you can make with pictures/images/words – affirmations of one’s dreams and desires, designed to serve as a source of inspiration and motivation and to use the law of attraction to attain goals. It is a potent tool that has been popularized by the documentary ‘The Secret’ by Rhonda Burns. The power of the vision board lies in its ability to help people discover and visualize their dreams. When they regularly affirm and visualize as if they have achieved those goals, it increases their chances of achieving them.

What are affirmations and visualizations?

When you say a positive, short statement in the present tense, your intentions—as if you have already achieved them—are called affirmations.

Visualization merely is seeing those things in your mind’s eye as vividly as if they are real, and as if they already happened.

Because your brain is prepared for achieving goals, these affirmations and visualizations are like seeds that you sow in your mind’s field. They provide a trailer to the mind for what you want so it can move toward your desires.

Have you ever felt a little flustered when you turn on the TV and a movie is playing, but you have no idea what it’s about?

Sometimes it is okay, but most of the time your brain takes a few moments to make sense of what is going on in the story. Your mind likes it better when it has some idea. When you check out the name, description, or trailer, your brain gets ready, knows what is coming, and can more thoroughly enjoy the movie. Similarly, before doing anything, if you set an intention and visualize the destination, it gives your brain a framework, a blueprint, and a file folder in which to put the information.

Power of Attraction:

When the documentary ‘The Secret’ came out in 2006, I did not question the main idea, “power of attraction”, because I knew the power of affirmations and visualizations. I liked Bob Proctor’s suggestion in that documentary when he suggested writing affirmations with the prompt, “I am so happy and grateful that I have…[whatever you want, but don’t yet have].”

I tried his suggestion, but I had one little problem. My logical mind could not accept the notion of “Just believe it, even if your mind questions it” as one of the speakers suggested in that documentary. It felt like a lie, and if my mind doesn’t accept what I say, then those words hold no power for me.

How can I believe that I have enough money in my bank account when my bank statement shows otherwise?

How can I think that I can pay the bills when I’m getting collection calls? Just imagine what would happen if you assumed that you had enough money, and you wrote a check despite your bank account not having sufficient funds to cover it. Of course, the check would bounce, and you would have to pay the bank fees.

As I was contemplating the issue, I came across the phrase “Advanced Gratitude” written somewhere, and I had an “aha moment”.  I thought about the fact that I pay rent to live the next month in an apartment, pay for the groceries before taking them home, and write “thanking you in advance” when asking someone for a favor in a letter. What if I give thanks for the things I want before getting them? My mind accepted that.

So, I started writing in my journal, “I offer advanced gratitude that I am or I have…” whatever I wanted. That was my affirmation.

For example, “I offer advanced gratitude that I am happy that my books have made a difference in more than a million people.” Or “I can sketch a book with the stamp: 1 Million Copies Sold.”

I started to see it in my mind’s eye as if it had happened, and it became a powerful visualization for me. Sometimes those things came true for me within days, and sometimes they came true after years, and some have still not come true.

Either they are not right for me or the right time has not come.

This belief is very important to keep the positive benefit of this technique; otherwise, it can be disappointing not to get what you want.  

From a logical viewpoint, I can see that my writing keeps reminding me of my intention and motivates me to keep taking action toward my desired goals. This action combined with intention increases the chances of achieving those objectives.

Just adding the phrase “I offer advanced gratitude” before Bob Proctor’s suggested prompt allowed my logical mind to accept my visualization.

Since then, I have been using this prompt as a part of my daily journal, and I reap the benefits of affirmations and visualizations without my mind questioning it.

You can make your grateful vision by adding the prompt AGF (Advanced Gratitude For). Visualize what you want in life or where you want to be and write it after this prompt. Be specific and see in your mind’s eye how it would feel when you achieve what you want. You may also sketch or paste a picture of it.

I shared what she wrote for her grateful achievement in the previous article. For her grateful visions, she wrote:

I am grateful in advance that I am/I have

  • overcome my condition
  • completed college
  • become a coach
  • am the best mother to my kids

If you use this tool, you will get closer and closer to your success with confidence and humility.

Go ahead make your list of Grateful Visions

 

Don’t miss out! For tools to help reduce your stress and maximize your joy sent right to your email, sign up today. In addition, you will get an instant download of a 1-minute relaxation exercise for busy people.

Let me know what you found most useful and if you have any questions.

 

Dr. Rozina

#1 Best Selling Author, Speaker, and Psychiatrist
www.drrozina.com

Join me on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or sign up for my newsletter

The Stress to Joy® program is available in
eBook,

Print Book 

Audio Book

Online Course

Guided Gratitude Journal

 

I share many tools and techniques that I have found to be helpful. They are not intended to replace treatments. Please seek treatment from licensed medical or health professionals as needed. I change all names for privacy.

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Benefits of Gratitude
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Research at UC Berkeley found that a gratitude practice can help you and your brain heals

That may be no surprise to anyone who’s studied all the benefits of practicing gratitude. But there was one thing I read in their research that was shocking which few people know about yet…

Changes in Brain:

It turns out a gratitude practice creates changes in the brain- the medial prefrontal cortex. This area is associated with social cognition and behavior. The most surprising part is that these changes lasted even three months after the study period.

Fascinating!

Indeed, many studies over the past decade have found that people who consciously count their blessings tend to be happier and less depressed.  The finding of changes in the brain means a gratitude practice could potentially have long-lasting benefits for our brain and mental health.

Ways to Heal Faster:

With the pressure of our fast-paced world, we are always looking for ways to heal faster and derive the greatest possible benefit from treatment in the shortest amount of time.

Therefore, many healthcare providers, especially in the mental health, are using research-backed approaches to complement psychological counseling with additional activities that are not too taxing for our clients but yield high results, and gratitude practice is one such activity.

My Experience:

Over the years I have used this technique to complement treatment for many of my clients and seen its power. I have also seen its benefits in my own life as I have practiced gratitude journaling for more than 14 years. I started after I broke my right hand and realized the importance of my left hand. (Read more about my story in the book “Stress to Joy”.)

Now, to help more people get educated, motivated and guided to start, resume or deepen their gratitude practice, I have developed this tool;“Stress to Joy Guided Gratitude Journal

Would you like to get a copy for yourself, your colleagues and your clients?

It is now available atAmazon.com. I have also arranged for special discounts on bulk order (5 or more) for my friends at https://stresstojoy.com/order-gratitude-journal-special

Don’t miss out! For tools to help reduce your stress and maximize your joy sent right to your email, sign up today. In addition, you will get an instant download of a 1-minute relaxation exercise for busy people.

Let me know what you found most useful and if you have any questions.

 

Dr. Rozina

#1 Best Selling Author, Speaker, and Psychiatrist
www.drrozina.com

Join me on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or sign up for my newsletter

The Stress to Joy® program is available in
eBook,

Print Book 

Audio Book

Online Course

Guided Gratitude Journal

 

I share many tools and techniques that I have found to be helpful. They are not intended to replace treatments. Please seek treatment from licensed medical or health professionals as needed. I change all names for privacy.

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How to Transform Your Life
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My friend Sam recently expressed her surprise when I showed her STJ Guided Gratitude Journal, “Oh, I thought this was just a pretty journal with empty lines. I did not know that there are so many instructions and inspirations to transform your life available. It feels like it can help many people like me. I will definitely try it.”  

So let me share what is inside this journal. This journal is a hybrid of book and journal. It consists of seven components as follows.

1.  Reasons behind each prompt:

When you know the “why” of something, it helps to you get motivated to do it. Therefore I have added the explanation and reasons for the practice and each prompt.

 

2. Examples:

I usually ask my patients to share three things they feel grateful for while I am writing their prescriptions. Some people have a hard time initially. Examples make it easier.

Therefore, I will share some examples for each prompt to get you thinking.

 

3. Flexibility to write short or long entry:

Some days, you’re going to be filled with motivation and want to dive deep into your gratitude practice.

And let’s be honest, there’s probably going to be some days when you’re busy with your life and doing that much could feel overwhelming.

This journal gives you the choice of how much you want to journal each day.

If you simply want to do the minimum, that’s perfect!

And on days you want to do more, you have extra space and additional prompts to connect with a sense of gratitude and joy deeply.

 

4. Invitation to doodle:

Do you like to doodle? One person told me that she feels almost guilty for doodling when she “should be” doing work.

New research supports the benefits of doodling and expressing creatively about your life.

Therefore, you will find a sketch/doodle/brain dump/visualize zone on alternate pages of the journal – a blank space without lines.

You may draw something that you are grateful for or something that is your vision/goal. I want you to doodle or color or paste some pictures of it.

This exercise is to make you sketch the floating bubble exercise (an exercise to be able to sleep when the mind is too active as described in ‘Stress to Joy’ book), brain dumps of your ideas, priorities of the day or merely write free flow.

The open space is to invite you to do whatever you desire that day.



5. Thought Provoking Quotes:

Good quotes usually inspire your life and stimulate thinking. Therefore, I have scattered a few of my favorite inspirational quotes throughout the Journal.

 

 

6. Gradual Instructions:

When I wrote in my journal for the first time, I started with only a few words. Over time it evolved as I introduced different prompts and variations.

When I teach this technique to my patients, I start with the basics and gradually add more prompts to deepen the practice.

This journal is designed to guide you in the same way. The prompts expand gradually to help you master each set in your life.

 



7. Other Resources:

Last but not least, I’ve compiled and shared a list of resources that I have developed to benefit you in acquiring the optimum mindset for health and happiness.

If you would like to use these powerful tools, all you have to do is keep this journal or any journal or notebook by your bedside, in your pocket, or your purse.

Every morning, before you get busy with the daily demands of your life, or evening before retiring to bed, pick up the journal and write.


My friend just sent me this note; “I love the Stress to Joy Guided Gratitude Journal. I was thinking about trying a gratitude journal for some time, and I am glad I started here. The thought-provoking quotes and the guided text has motivated me and provided me with a perspective which is helping me express my feelings and focus on the positives. The simple act of journaling has enabled me to see the meaning of events going on around me and helps me create meaning in my own life; as a result, I feel much happier, calmer and more grateful for everything. “

I hope it helps you too and I look forward to hearing from you how it has helped to transform your life.

Grab your copy of this journal at Amazon http://a.co/d/iNHJgzp

For more information about the journal or bulk order please visit https://stresstojoy.com/order-gratitude-journal-special

Don’t miss out! For tools to help reduce your stress and maximize your joy sent right to your email, sign up today. In addition, you will get an instant download of a 1-minute relaxation exercise for busy people.

Let me know what you found most useful and if you have any questions.

 

Dr. Rozina

#1 Best Selling Author, Speaker, and Psychiatrist
www.drrozina.com

Join me on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or sign up for my newsletter

The Stress to Joy® program is available in
eBook,

Print Book 

Audio Book

Online Course

Guided Gratitude Journal

 

I share many tools and techniques that I have found to be helpful. They are not intended to replace treatments. Please seek treatment from licensed medical or health professionals as needed. I change all names for privacy.

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