//BESIDES PHYSICALLY CHANGING OUR BRAIN, GRATITUDE HELPS US CULTIVATE A HEALTHIER, MORE POSITIVE MINDSET. //


not only our happiness but also our productivity. We become more intelligent, more creative and more open when we are looking at the positive.


COUNTING ONE’S BLESSINGS It is the genuine feeling of gratitude that has all these benefits. Every day in every one’s life there are so many things to be grateful for – a hug from a loved one, a bite of a juicy fruit, feeling fresh after a shower, a smile from a stranger, etc. All of these are blessings in our life. Recognising and appreciating the good things you encounter every day can be a practice of gratitude to change your brain to be happier. Even in trying times, when


recognising the blessings in one’s life becomes more challenging, you can take a deep breath and feel grateful for having this breath and that you are alive. Life itself is the greatest gift that we have. If you cultivate the habit of seeing your blessings and connecting with them you will realise that every single breath can give you a feeling of appreciation for life. With each breath we are given the extraordinary opportunity of life and to be joyful.


Problems come and go, but the gift of life is always in our hand as long as we are alive. To take this practice of gratitude


to another level, we can take a few moments at the end of the day to write down the things that we felt grateful for during the day and say thank you to have those precious moments. The more we practice this the more we will master the skill to be mindful of the blessings we have each day. Gradually we will reshape our brain to see the world differently and to recognise and acknowledge the good things that are hidden in each moment of our life. And the reward is great. l


Connect with other readers & comment on this article at www.livingnow.com.au


Dr. Narjes Gorjizadeh is a materials scientist and a certified meditation teacher. Based in Sydney, she has trained with, and teaches


meditation courses created by Vikas Malkani, founder of SoulCentre Academy, Asia’s premier personal development centre.


Shining Through – Grief To Gratitude


A powerful memoir of facing devastating loss following her son’s suicide Soraya takes us from Grief to Gratitude.


From ashrams to sweat lodges, this is a journey of a heart seeking freedom through surrender, acceptance and forgiveness with mindful presence.


www.sorayasaraswati.com/shining-through/ MARCH | APRIL 2018 67


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