Page 50 - South Mississippi Living - May, 2020

HEALTHY LIVING ATTITUDE
B story by Angela Singletary photo courtesy of Angela Singletary
oy, these are crazy times nowadays. I know it can be so hard to nd grounding when
so much is out of your control. We are bombarded by so much negative and bad news. Anxiety is at an all-time high and everyone I know seems to be having trouble sleeping.
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ANGELA SINGLETARY, Certi ed Nutritionist and Wellness Coach
One thing I tell my clients is to look for the good. We nd what we seek – so seek gratitude. Gratitude doesn’t mean you can’t acknowledge things that you are struggling with, it simply means you are acknowledging that you have a lot of good going on as well. It can be very di cult to nd things to appreciate nowadays, but I promise you it is not impossible. Every evening in my “Our New Normal” Facebook group we all talk about things we are grateful for. This helps us bring our focus back around to something positive. One of the easiest ways to do this is by using a gratitude journal!
There’s even real science behind taking on an attitude of gratitude. In one study, one group of patients wrote gratitude letters and another group did not. The gratitude letter-writing group showed more activity in their prefrontal cortex on an MRI and they healed at a faster pace than the group that did not.
So how do you begin your own gratitude journal? The easiest way to get started is to write one thing (or ve things) you are grateful for everyday. It can be general or speci c. Set aside a certain time each day to sit and be conscious about the good things you have in your life. I suggest doing this rst thing when you wake up – it sets the tone for your day and gives you something to focus on when stress and worry try to take over. Doing this daily will train your brain to look for the things you are grateful for as your day goes on.
I wish everyone the best during these trying times. I am grateful for all of you!
Angela Singletary is well known in the community for her philanthropic heart and positive outlook on life. Through her health and wellness coaching, Purpose by Ang, she encourages and empowers others to live their best lives.
50 | May 2020
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