Melissa Crothers, Shapar Ostovar, Steve Crothers, Chantal
Recently I had a discussion with my family doctor about keeping good mental health in general for all types of people (college students, parents) and she mentioned the usual items : regular exercise, good diet, and plenty of sleep. But then she mentioned another item that research shows is important to good mental health : having gratitude. Each day spending a few minutes acknowledging what you are grateful for, can improve your mental health. Interesting concept, right?
I know there are days when that “gratitude list” seems pretty short. For some the list consists of being thankful they got through a day of not having to call the doctor, or being grateful that the respite worker showed up so they could leave the house to do the shopping. But really, every day there is something to be grateful for, and our children (on and off the spectrum) can learn to focus everyday for a few minutes on what they have to be grateful for – it could improve their mental health.
Right now, I would like to express gratitude about all the people over the years who have shown interest in my son, or who have helped him become the person he is today. Many of these people were at the Poseidon Restaurant in Del Mar on Monday night to help celebrate the release of Jeremy’s first book, A Full Life With Autism. We are grateful to be surrounded by such wonderful people and to be part of this local community. I’ll be posting more photos as time goes on; I’ve put a few here.
So tell me, what can you express gratitude for today?
Dr. Carl Hillier's Team