THANKS

Activate happy

We can be in control of our thoughts. We can choose the channel that plays in the mind. Let’s take a moment to say thank you. Thank you. Thanks for it all. Does something to our brain doesn’t it? We can feel a little shift, something lightening and relaxing. We can give that cheeky little dorsal a break anytime by just saying thanks. Thanks for anything. Thanks for something. Thanks for toodle-pipping everything. Being thankful activates our natural neural happy helpers, dopamine and serotonin. They get to work immediately. No wait-time. No side effects. The more we’re thankful, the easier it gets.

Recognize resistance

Except when it doesn’t. Sometimes that cheeky little fella who notices the negative will just not give us a break. It pops up and tells (or yells) that we have NOTHING to be thankful for. What then? First recognize it, “Hey buddy/buddette, thanks for letting me know”. A lot of the time just being kind to it will help. If that doesn’t clear the way for your thanks, put it to work and ask it for help “can you help me think of anything?” Still no joy? Give it a royal kick and tell it to “S$%!@ *#@”! Continue happily with your thanks.

How do you activate happy?
Say thanks. Mean it.
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Personal practice

CREATE A HABIT OF THANKS

Use breath breaks to check your channel is tuned
Find at least one thing that you’re truly thankful for every day
Rinse, repeat daily

Expand and amplify

TURN THE NOISE UP ON THANKS

Thank yourself for all that you’re doing to feel better
Share your thanks with family and friends
Share your appreciation of community and people you meet throughout the day

"Thanks to me for doing this program"

I'm thankful for the steps I take every day that make me feel better and better
Toni, Chicago, IL

"Thanks for my car"

My life would be impossible without it
Tom, Phoenix, AZ

"I'm thankful for our dinner-time "thanks" routine"

Hearing my family's "thanks" over dinner is uplifting, heart-warming and puts me on the right track
Dani, Tampa, FL

"Thanks for my Mom"

She is always at the other end of the phone to cheer me up
Joy, Indianapolis, IN

"Thanks for my wife"

I'm thankful that we're still together after all these years
Ron, New Buffalo, MI

"Thanks for another day"

Practicing thankfulness reminds me how precious life is
Carol, Milwaukee, WI

"Thanks for everything"

I'm thankful for this experience of life for all that it is
Bill, St Joseph, MI

LEAD YOU

Let’s tune into the signals between body and brain and put them to work for us.

RELAX

Talk sweetly, relax deeply

Negative self-talk builds stress in the body. Stress exacerbates arthritic pain. Let’s tune in, change the channel and relax our body and mind. Read more in RELAX.

THANKS

Turn on the happy channel

Being thankful activates our brain’s natural neural happy helper. Choosing to be thankful can help improve mood and reduce the perception of pain. Let’s remind ourself of the power of THANKS.

BODY

Tune in, relieve pain

When our mind is stressed, our body talks back and stores tension. Tension increases arthritic pain. Let’s explore techniques to relax and release the tension that can contribute to arthritic pain. Read more in BODY.