Science now confirms that mindset alters health and physical pain in some pretty profound ways. As a bodyworker, it’s been obvious to me from the start of my career that mind and body are connected and affect each other.  Did you know that the brain responds the same way to feeling rejection as if it were the pain from a broken leg?  Feeling good in mind and body are intrinsically linked.

One of my favorite spiritual teachers, August Gold, spoke of a Rampage of Appreciation in one of her talks (listen here). The idea is to spend 1 minute listing all the things you appreciate. The list can start with seemingly small things; there is no category that is disqualified, only that you continue to list them for a minute. 

Appreciating doesn’t need to mean loving. It just means appreciate. 

I appreciate the roof over my head. This is especially poignant during a mid-west snow storm or in the life sucking heat of the west coast.

I appreciate having a full belly. As food motivated as I am there is nothing more distracting than hunger pains.

Notice the difference with “I absolutely love living in my dream home”.  Similarly, having a full belly has nothing to do with the food choices I made or my waistline.

I appreciate having two legs to walk on. When the voice of “but the pain in my left knee…” or “the size of my thighs…” kicks in, remember there is no place for that voice in this Rampage of Appreciation.  That voice will need to take a back seat until the minute is over.

Some mistakenly think they can only feel good when they are in a good mood.  What I like about the Rampage of Appreciation is that even in a sour mood your brain can be nourished and choice of chemicals surging through your system can be improved.

I appreciate how far that man can project his voice so that I can hear it clearly all the way on the other side of the room.  See, I don’t have to love it.  But I appreciate the power in his voice!

As the most vital organ in the body, the brain requires, scratch that – deserves to be nourished optimally.  There are so many great choices and like everything else in our diet, what we consume is a choice.

I recommend the following brain diet:

A Day of Thanksgiving (or up to 365 days in a row)

Counting Blessings (from 1 to infinity)

Attitude of Gratitude (checking your attitude at the threshold of every door)

Rampages of Appreciation (one minute intervals at a time up to 1440 minutes a day)

Repeat often, combine for the perfect recipe and help yourself to seconds.