Take 5 Good Minutes

Airtime is a community that aims to fight food insecurity and build a supportive community. There are paid membership tiers that offer access to various features like discussion forums, book and movie reviews, and chats. The speaker shares a practice called Take Five Good Minutes, which involves starting the day with gratitude. Research shows that gratitude improves mental health and happiness. The speaker encourages reflecting on one's blessings and expressing gratitude throughout the day. Gratitude can make a person healthier and stronger. The speaker also mentions the opportunity to engage in community chats and discussions on the Airtime page, as well as a new discussion forum called Deconstructing Faith. Hey all, welcome to Airtime. These podcasts are just part of the Airtime community. To help fight food insecurity on Madison's east side and continue building this community, there are paid membership tiers that give access to discussion forums, book and movie reviews, chats, and more. However you choose to engage, in this community, we work to listen more deeply to the divine always around us, the divine within us, the divine within others, and seeing the divine throughout creation. Like the John O'Donohue poem for presents, which you are invited to go back to as often as needed, today I'd like to share a practice called Take Five Good Minutes. It's intended to be practiced at the beginning of your day. Before we begin, let's take some time to breathe deeply, your breath rhythm to be in through your nose and out through your mouth. For today, we will inhale gratitude and exhale love. Inhale gratitude. Exhale love. Inhale gratitude. Exhale love. Okay, you're invited to keep that rhythm for yourself as we keep going. Research continues to show that acknowledging gratitude in our life brings about greater mental health. Many studies over the past decade have found that people who consciously count their blessings tend to be happier and less depressed. The research says gratitude unshackles us from toxic emotions. Gratitude helps even if we don't share it. Gratitude's benefits take time. Gratitude has lasting effects on the brain. William Shakespeare put these words on the lips of Hamlet. Gratitude is a fruit of great cultivation. Do not find it among gross people. This short talk is simply about taking five good minutes at the beginning of your day for gratitude. Some things in life are chosen for you. It you can usually choose how to begin the first five minutes of your day, whether in a state of emotional deficit, spending the whole day trying to catch up, or in a state of gratitude. When you first wake up, before you open your eyes, spend five good minutes reflecting on what you have. First of all, you did indeed wake up. You're on the right side of the grass. You're safe and warm in a comfortable bed. Remember your friends and family who are grateful for you. If you have pets, they're a point of gratitude for certain. Will you learn something new today? Can you listen to the sweet song of the birds and the gentle patter of rain? Perhaps you have a special meal planned for later. Maybe you're eager to wear a new outfit. The point is to remind yourself of the bounty that you have in life. Then by the time your feet hit the floor, you're starting the day in a place of plenty and richness instead of lack and neediness. Take five good minutes to reflect on the bounty of your life. Smile when you do it. Remind yourself of all that you have. Start by saying thank you more often. A simple act of saying thank you will reinforce that there are a lot of people doing nice things for you all the time. Some major, most small. Little kindnesses sprinkled throughout your day. Recognize them, revel in them. Remind yourself of all you have. Gratitude can make you healthier and stronger in body, mind, and soul. And all it takes is five good minutes. Everybody, thanks for listening to Take Five Good Minutes with me today. If you take a deeper dive in the airtime page, you can engage in community chats, posts, discussions, comment on movie and book reviews, or add your own. I'm also working on a new discussion forum called Deconstructing Faith. This is where I go back and check out a proverbial Kool-Aid that I was more than happy to consume and work through what has pushed many of us be spiritual and not religious and unpack some of the stuff that we've gone through. So reach out with a post or a chat and let's keep building this airtime community. Hey, much love all.