EASY EXERCISES TO IMPROVE

Gratitude, Positive Intention, Mindful Meditation

Several years ago, I felt something was missing in my life. I constantly sensed the loss of something I just couldn’t put my finger on. Unbeknownst to me, I was seeking satisfaction and happiness in all the wrong places. A concerned friend urged me to start a daily exercise I still practice today and has really helped me control my thoughts and how I act and feel.

Express Gratitude

Each morning I take a minute to greet the sunrise with the words, “Thank you, God, for this awesome and amazing day you have gifted me.” I say these words out loud, and my day begins from there. Today is the gift, and we’re blessed to be opening our eyes and breathing despite whatever problems you’re facing. You don’t have to thank God. You can thank whatever spirit, energy, or creator you believe in.

Gratitude has physical, psychological, and social benefits. Practicing gratitude has been shown to improve your immune system, regulate blood pressure, reduce aches and pains, and help with sleep. Gratitude can help you to achieve higher levels of joy and allows those who practice it to feel less lonely and more optimistic. The mind-body connection is very real.

About Dr. Robert Kiltz Dr. Robert Kiltz is an author, motivational speaker, artist, board certified OB/GYN and reproductive endocrinologist, and Founder and Director of CNY Fertility, one of the largest and most dynamic fertility centers in the country, featured in the Wall Street Journal, Today Show, and CNBC for helping shape the future of fertility medicine. With more than three decades of experience, Dr. Kiltz has developed cuttingedge protocols grounded in Western medicine and supported by Eastern practices, and changes to diet and lifestyle. While working with patients on dietary and lifestyle changes for fertility, Dr. Kiltz discovered that he was simultaneously helping hundreds with other medical problems (diabetes, IBS, chronic migraines, and much more). He has earned recognition outside of the fertility world for pioneering the holistic health movement and the keto lifestyle. In addition to his own media outlets, Dr. Kiltz appears regularly on numerous popular blogs and has shared his views as a TEDx speaker. For more information visit www.doctorkiltz.com.

EASY EXERCISES TO IMPROVE THE DAILY MINDSET

kWRITTEN BY DR. ROBERT KILTZ, THOUGHT-LEADER IN HEALTH, WELLNESS & MEDICINE PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF WWW.DOCTORKILTZ.COM.

Kindness begins with the person you see in the mirror. Make sure you are saying positive and uplifting things to yourself when you look in the mirror. Love thyself first. And remember, happiness isn’t what brings you gratitude; gratitude is what brings you happiness.

Set a Positive Daily Intention

After expressing gratitude, I write my positive intention for the day. I use my own words to express the beauty I feel inside and around me. Unlike goals that are usually related to outward, measurable things (like weight loss or learning to speak Italian), intentions are internal motivators and inspiration for how you want to treat yourself and others and how you want to live your life.

My positive, intentional thoughts lay the foundation for my success. Often my inspiration is quotes or the writings of others. Sometimes they are my own observations, but they are always reminders to recognize the beauty of love, kindness, and gratitude in life.

You decide if it’s a good day or bad day, an easy day or hard day. In the words of Prentice Mulford, “Thoughts are things.” Our thoughts can manifest any number of experiential and material effects. A negative thought will attract negativity just as a positive thought will attract positivity.

We can reverse our negative thought patterns simply by changing how we view our career, family, friends, and life as a whole. We must start by appreciating the small stuff, like the hot cup of coffee you had this morning, a blue sky, or the beauty of new-fallen snow. In doing so, we allow ourselves to be open to love and positivity and resist negative and emotionally unhealthy thought patterns.

Most of us spend lots of time thinking about what we put into our mouths. We read books on diets and blogs about nutrition, but we don’t invest the same concern about what we put into our minds. I’m talking about television, weather, talk radio, negative gossip from friends, etc. These are all external influences that distort our perception of reality and start to control our lives.

To find our best selves, we need to look inward. Once you find the beauty within, you begin to see the beauty all around. Remember, you create the vision of your health and wellness in your mind, and then you make it happen. Setting your own daily intention can be a great first step toward a more positive outlook and life.

If you’re struggling to find a positive uplifting messages, I’ve begun compiling my own on my website and in my book, and invite you to take a look. Find Moments for Mindful Meditation Take breaks during the day to practice moments of mindfulness. I practice meditative breathing several times a day. Breathe in through the nose for five seconds; hold it for six seconds and breathe out through the mouth slowly for seven seconds. “In through the nose, out through the smile,” I like to say.

Although this breathing is a meditative practice, you don’t need to be sitting in a lotus position or at an ashram or yoga studio. Right where you’re sitting, standing, lying, resting, or relaxing is just fine. Just stop what you’re doing and focus on your breathing for a minute or two. Think of it as a little snack break for your mind.

It takes just 21 days to create a habit. Take the first step today to a happier, healthier, more positive you this New Year. l