One small scribble makes for one giant leap in your well-being
These past few years have been challenging for people's mental health, physical health and confidence in social settings. For some, the challenge turned into an outright crisis. This crisis, created by increased living costs and reduced opportunities for income, has resulted in catastrophic impacts on people’s mental health and deteriorating physical health. For children, the confusion around friends' bubbles and school closures, as well as witnessing their parents' distress, has been an unbearable burden. Everyone, from all ages, could do with some outside encouragement, an opportunity to talk things through, and just some time to be reminded that they, too, are essential.
But sometimes, people don't have the time, or they don't have money for long-term therapy sessions, or they are concerned about being considered weak for seeking outside help, or they don't want 'to trouble' anyone because they don't think that their issues are that bad. Whatever the reason, already-vulnerable people are even more susceptible to reduced mental or physical well-being.
In response, I created three types of Gratitude Books – one for adults, one for teens and one for children. These books are based on my work as an NLP Practitioner and Confidence Coach. They aim to allow people to help themselves using prompts that I would normally use in sessions with my clients. Gratitude Books take as little as 5 minutes to fill out. They are relatively cheap, no one needs to know that you are filling them out, making them absolutely anonymous, and no one is measuring if your thoughts are significant enough to be expressed. It’s an opportunity for you to take care of you in the way that you know is best for you.
The research
Research has shown that Gratitude Journals are significantly effective in reducing anxiety, improving sleep, improving immune response, improving recovery after physical trauma and more. Gratitude Journals have been shown to help adults with critical diagnoses like MS, depression and PTSD, as well as adolescents and children dealing with anxiety.
“My Gratitude Books– a gratitude journal for…”
All of "My Gratitude Books" combine free-flow writing and prompts which can be responded to in writing or drawing. "My Gratitude Book – 60-day gratitude journal for Children" focuses on creating a positive framework for the day: in the morning, the children express what they are looking forward to, and in the evening, they describe how their day went and what they hope to dream about. To evade any spelling or handwriting anxieties that some children might have, I made a point to emphasise that the journals can be filled out in writing or drawing. "My Gratitude Book – 30-day gratitude journal for Teens" encourages teens to set goals that matter to them and recognise their strengths and abilities to accomplish these. "My Gratitude Book – 30-day gratitude journal for Adults", in addition to the daily prompts and free-flow writing, offers unique NLP techniques specially adapted to journal-style prompts. These books are all available on Amazon.
All you really need to know.
The key to journaling is that you are left with the KNOWLEDGE that you are important in this world. You have the power to improve your own life and those you care about. You have the ability to improve your mental health – and you don't need a lot of time for that, you don't need a lot of money for that, you don't need "experts" for that – you just need YOU. Take a few minutes out of your day to acknowledge how very unique, important and wonderful you are to those around you and the world at large. Don't underestimate YOUR OWN ABILITIES to make a meaningful positive change in your life!
About the author
Nily Ron is an NLP practitioner, Confidence Coach and founder of trimoving (www.trimoving.co.uk). Nily has seen fantastic shifts in attitude in clients using journaling as a way to gain clarity on life and bring about a positive attitude.
As noted in the gratitude journals' prompts, Nily's goal is for individuals to be confident in themselves and their ability to improve their own mental health and well-being. Of course, outside help (be it professionals, family or friends) can be useful and effective. However, people should not underestimate THEIR OWN ABILITIES in making meaningful positive changes in their lives. This philosophy is apparent in her work in both the sessions and the NLP skills she offers freely across social media. This is also the perspective that led her to create these journals; she wanted to give people an opportunity to see what a great asset they are to themselves and view themselves in the light of those who appreciate them the most.
Nily homeschools her two young daughters and has used journaling and gratitude books both as a means for the children to practice their writing and as an outlet for them to work out their emotions. She has witnessed first-hand the EXTREMELY POSITIVE impact of everyday journaling on their attitude towards life.
Nily has created journals for children, teens and adults. They all share a simple and inviting layout but differ in their questions. All of the journals include questions accumulated from Nily's skills and experience as a life coach and NLP practitioner.
Nily's girls were an integral part in creating the children's and teens' versions of the gratitude journals, as they chose the questions that most resonated with them and, very graciously, contributed their thoughts and artwork to the How-To demonstration pages.
Running a life-coaching business, writing self-help confidence books and homeschooling her children, Nily keeps herself busy, but only in the MOST POSITIVE ways!