Is There a Magic Pill for Healing and Happiness?

Are you frustrated that you haven't found the "magic pill" that will bring you healing and happiness? Have you been given many so-called healing modalities, only to reply with, "Why does it have to be so hard? Why can't it be easy?"

I've had this discussion in many forms many times with many people. The fact is, there IS a magic pill. But limiting beliefs keep people from tapping into it.

So what is the magic pill?

Gratitude.

Studies show that people who are grateful are the happiest people. But what's even more encouraging is that studies are now showing that people who are the unhappiest achieve the largest boost in happiness when they choose to be grateful.

And happy people tend to be much healthier than they would be otherwise.

The greatest difficulty is to get past the attitude that "I have nothing to be grateful for." Well, I challenge that assertion. We all have things to be grateful for. No matter what.

Here are some areas to focus on when coming up with a gratitude list:

1. People in our lives. This can be friends. Family. Teachers. Co-workers. Mentors. Acquaintances. Even people who have walked into our lives for a very short time. Like the fridge repair guy, for example.

2. Comforts in our lives. A soft bed. Pillows. Flannel pajamas. Blankets. A toothbrush. Socks. Slippers.

3. Basic Necessities. Shelter, however that looks for us. Warm clothes for the colder months. Light clothes for the warmer ones. Heat in the winter. Water. Food. Access to health care.

4. Our bodies. Ability to walk. Talk. Communicate in general. Our body's natural ability to heal itself.  Sight and other senses. Teeth to eat with and show a lovely smile. Lips to kiss someone we care about. Fingers to type with. Feet to dance with. Toes for balance.

5. Our health. Even those who are sick or challenged in some way can have gratitude for the health they already enjoy.

This is by no means a comprehensive list. It's just a place to start. And once you get on the gratitude gravy train, you'll find all kinds of things to be grateful for. Even the no-so-wonderful stuff will reveal something positive.

So start today. Right now. Write up 5 things you're grateful for. Then go deeper. Pick one and really delve into why you're filled with gratitude for this one thing. Perhaps it's someone in your life. In fact, that's always a great place to start.

Write a page about why you're grateful for this person. If this person is still alive, contact that person and read what you wrote. If they're not alive, read the page out loud. Your sentiment is what's important.

Find things to be grateful for each and every day. You can do this in your head. But it's even more beneficial if you write them down. The body fuses the emotions of gratitude more so with the act of putting pen to pad.

Consider a gratitude journal. But any piece of paper will do. Even a napkin, if that's all you have in the moment. And be grateful for the napkin.

What are you grateful for?