Category: Health

The Benefits of Gratitude

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.” (Ps 28:7)

November is well underway, and Thanksgiving is just around the corner. This is the time of year when we think about the things for which we’re thankful. But focusing on our blessings shouldn’t happen just once a year. How can we make gratitude a part of our daily lives?

Here are four benefits of gratitude:

  1. Gratitude lowers stress levels. Focusing on feelings of contentment produces lower stress levels. When I intentionally concentrate on the good things in my life, I gain perspective. I’m more aware of my blessings – and how I can be a blessing to others.
  2. Gratitude improves overall health. In general, grateful people have fewer aches and pains than others and are more likely to go to regular check-ups, which will contribute to longevity. Those who are grateful experience more empathy and less aggression. I want some of that, please!
  3. Gratitude improves self-esteem. Did you know that grateful people are also less prone to envy or regret? An attitude of gratitude has been shown to reduce comparisons. I’ve noticed that when I focus on my own blessings, I’m less inclined to become jealous of someone else’s accomplishments.
  4. Gratitude improves my relationship with God. One of the ways I’ve learned to express gratitude is by keeping a gratitude journal. While I’m not always faithful to note things in my journal every day, a quick glance through the journal shows me that God is faithful to provide. For the last few years, I’ve written down one thing for which I’m thankful that day, and then, I write out a prayer of thanksgiving to start my day off on a positive note. Writing out my prayers has made me more aware of the relationship between my blessings and my God. This process has also helped me become closer to God as it forces me to think more deeply about the things God has given me.

Gratitude is something that you can learn to express. Focus on the things that you have instead of the things that you don’t, and thank God as you remember how much he’s given you.

Dear Jesus, thank you for all the blessings that you’ve given me. Help me to develop an attitude of gratitude in all I do each day. Amen.

When Creativity Stops Flowing

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” (Ps 19:14)

This blog post almost didn’t happen. Writing an original blog post each week along with other fresh material can be a daunting task. Because I write in a devotional format, I don’t feel comfortable just throwing something up on my blog for the sake of meeting a deadline. I approach each entry thoughtfully and with prayer so that the Lord can use my words for his purposes.

I maintain a long list of possible blog post topics, but even though I had potential subject matter on hand, I couldn’t dredge up the words to pull it all together this week. When I prayed for guidance, I heard…silence. And then I realized that the silence, the lack of an idea, the difficulty writing a coherent blog post, was the idea for this entry. Continue reading “When Creativity Stops Flowing” →

Lessons from Year Three as a Small Business Owner

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.” (Prov 16:3)

This month, I celebrate my three-year anniversary as a full-time professional writer and editor. Each year of this journey, I’ve looked back on the lessons I’d learned the year before. In year three, I learned the following:

  1. My health is a priority.

Continue reading “Lessons from Year Three as a Small Business Owner” →

What I’ve Learned from Autumn

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“He made the moon to mark the seasons, and the sun knows when to go down.” (Ps 104:19)

Although the calendar says it’s autumn, it has yet to feel like it here in Oklahoma. We often don’t see much of autumn at all―the weather stays in the 80s and 90s as it is now before dropping sharply into the 40s and 50s. The leaves simply die and fall from the trees. Last year, we had a banner year with record amounts of rain and riotous colors on the trees.

In spite of the warm (hot!) temperatures, my heart feels that autumn is upon us. As the seasons change, I’m reminded that although change is hard, it can also be beautiful. Here are a few lessons I’ve learned from autumn. Continue reading “What I’ve Learned from Autumn” →

The Power of Taking a Break

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“…he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone…” (Mt 14:23

When I co-founded Prestige Prose over four years ago, I didn’t know what running my own business would actually be like. I had always worked for others in jobs with salaries and benefits. When I left one of those jobs to run Prestige Prose full time, reality set in quickly. I have no sick leave, no annual leave. For a while, I worked so many hours that weekends, too, were just two more days to work. Continue reading “The Power of Taking a Break” →