Welcome

Welcome to your first Live Your Life Well newsletter. The tips here build on our website's 10 Tools for wellness to help you lead a healthier, happier life. In just a few minutes a day, research suggests, you can begin to enjoy less stress and more success.

One great way to start boosting your mood is to notice all the “goodies” you’ve already got. Of course, financial worries and other stresses can make it tough to see the good stuff. Still, most of us have at least a couple of things that make us feel grateful. And research shows that people who focus on the positives in their lives are more upbeat—and even have fewer physical complaints—than those who fail to notice them.

So at some point this week try to spend a few minutes really appreciating the wonderful aspects of your life, whether they’re pretty simple (you caught the early bus!) or quite sublime (your husband is a super-sweet guy!).

New Mood Tool

Want an easy way to share and get gratitude ideas? Head over to LiveYourLifeWell.org and check out the new Gratitude Stream. It’s a live, worldwide posting of good thoughts and thanks. Jump in and send off some joy-filled words, or just get inspired by other people’s thoughts. You can also access the stream through a free iPhone app created by Signal Patterns, a Live Your Life Well partner that develops psychology-based Web and mobile applications.

Ways to Greater Gratitude

With a little effort, you can prevent the positives in your life from fading into the background. Everybody’s different, so try various techniques to see what works for you. Some tips include:

• Try taking notes in a gratitude journal. Research suggests that if you’re keeping a journal, writing once a week may be most effective.
• If writing’s not for you, you might just set aside time to think about what makes you grateful. You also could partner with a gratitude buddy to share thoughts, or draw, paint or sing about what makes you joyful.
• Remind yourself to look for positive moments. When you have one, try storing it away, like in a mental scrapbook.
• Slow down and savor. Really taste that yummy latte. Really feel that sunshine. If you’re rushing through your day, you may miss some of life’s sweeter moments.  

Of course, not all mood-boosting tools are right for everyone. If you’re looking for alternatives, check out other options on LiveYourLifeWell.org. Or, you can just wait for your next edition of this newsletter to pop up in your e-mail. How’s that for something to feel grateful for?