#gratitude-practice

#gratitude-practice

When we handwrite, especially something as emotionally loaded as a thank-you note, our brains engage in what neuroscientists call "embodied cognition"-the physical act of writing actually shapes how we think and feel about what we're expressing. The people I wrote to started responding differently. Not just polite acknowledgments, but genuine, heartfelt replies that often led to deeper conversations.

In an exclusive interview released by the Olympics, Italian alpine skier and two-time medalist Sofia Goggia shared that quieting the mind is an essential part of her approach to training as well as life. "Meditation is a moment of centering, being here and now, and observing thoughts as they pass through my mind without any judgement," she explains in her native Italian."I think meditation gives you...an inner sense of balance."

Thomas, 58, has been struggling with depression since his divorce seven years ago. A family friend of Thomas referred him and his 32-year-old daughter, Sarah, to me for family therapy. In addition to the loss of his marriage, Thomas has lost his relationship with Sarah. She blames him for her parents' divorce and has not allowed him to spend time with his four-year-old grandson.