Gratitude As A Form Of Self-Care: A Collaboration Between Maniology & Grateful Peoples

Too often, people mistake self-care for selfish behavior. But at Maniology, we believe that self-care begins with gratitude - or rather, more importantly, the practice of gratitude itself.

Key Takeaways

• Maniology and Grateful Peoples have teamed up to promote the daily practice of gratitude
• Expressing ourselves creatively starts with practicing gratitude, whether through nail stamping or by writing in a daily gratitude journal
• Gratitude, as a self-care tool, allows us to return kindness back to ourselves while recognizing the value of the present particular moment
• Positive psychology research has found gratitude to be strongly associated with greater happiness
• When practiced as a daily habit, research shows that feeling grateful may help us experience more positive emotions

That's why we're excited to share our collaboration and partnership with the organization Grateful Peoples. Grateful Peoples was founded on the idea that if we simply focus on getting the most out of the present moment, we set ourselves up with the best possible foundation for our future.

But where exactly did this project start?

See Related: What's Your Seasonal Color Palette?

The Origin Of Grateful Peoples

Grateful Peoples began when founder Teddy Droseros practiced the simple gesture of leaving a gratitude journal out on a table in an Astoria coffee shop. 

From there, random coffee shop-goers in search of a latte ended up writing down what they were grateful for, leaving messages each day. Soon enough, that one Astoria coffee shop had compiled a notebook full of various patrons’ messages of gratitude. 

The success of this simple gesture prompted Teddy to leave gratitude journals at different coffee shops around the country, eventually leading him to partner with different schools where he donated roughly 20,000 gratitude journals for students to write in. 

Such collaborations to spread the message of gratitude have continued - and Maniology is honored to be a part of it. In collaboration with Grateful Peoples, Maniology will be placing gratitude journals at different locations to further this message of thankfulness and self-care.

So, what does it mean to practice gratitude? And can gratitude really act as a self-care tool? Let's find out.

The Relationship Between Gratitude And Self-Care

We've all heard the phrase, "count your blessings." But have you ever really stopped to do it?

Whether counting your blessings silently over morning coffee or expressing your thankfulness outwardly toward a particular family member, such practices of gratitude can actually help us improve our overall health as well as our perspective.

Don't believe us? A 2019 Harvard research survey found a correlation between participants' optimism and their physical health, noting that those with a high score on optimism and well-being enjoyed a 30% lower risk of developing heart disease.

Separate studies have continued to highlight this correlation time and time again. So if you consider caring for your physical health a form of self-care, then it's about time you started practicing gratitude!

Bonus: Your Guide To A True Autumn Color Palette

Expressing Gratitude Creatively

There are many ways to practice gratitude. And it's important to note that there are no right or wrong ways to go about your gratitude practice.

Here are just a couple of ideas that we like when we want to feel happier:

Write in a gratitude journal

Writing gratitude letters or simply jotting down what you're grateful for is a fantastic way to express how thankful you are. And Grateful Peoples has made this process even easier.

Their gratitude journals offer you a space for mindful thinking. Made with 100% recycled paper, their gratitude journals offer you a blank page (literally) to reflect on the people and things you hold a deep appreciation for.

These journals are the perfect place to document any new relationships and friendships you may be developing. Or perhaps you've found a particular passion in life you never anticipated and want to write about how happy it makes you feel.

As you fill your journal over time, you can return to this documented space full of rich life experiences to fill you with positive feelings.

Get creative with nail stamping

Too often, people who think they're not creative enough stop themselves from engaging in creative activities. But at Maniology, we've developed our easy-to-use nail stamping kits to empower self-expression, one manicure at a time.

In just a couple of easy steps, you can adorn your fingertips with any number of beautiful designs. You can even invite a friend over and make a whole night of it, showing off your manicures to one another and treasuring the friendship you've managed to cultivate in this life.

Getting creative either with a friend or solo can help you tap into your personality like never before. When we invest in our self-expression, we develop a deeper appreciation for all that we have to offer.

Empowering Self-Expression, One Manicure At A Time

While it's important to express our gratitude for others, there's one person that needs our gratitude most of all - ourselves!

Our lives are filled with a variety of stresses. So it only makes sense to be kind to ourselves - and make a habit out of it too.

In collaboration with Grateful Peoples, Maniology is proud to spread the message of gratitude and creativity. Whether you're writing a positive emotion down or detailing it on your fingertips, just remember - you're creating an abundant foundation of gratitude to fuel every action thereafter. And that's worth cultivating. 

Since there’s no time like the present, leave us a comment below and tell us what you’re grateful for! 

Keep Reading: 13 Creative Ways To Express Gratitude & Tap Into Your Self-Expression

--

At Maniology, we believe your nails are opportunities for adventure, fun, and unrestrained artistic expression. Our nail stamping plates and nail accessories are here to help foster your self-expression in the hopes of building a community of individuality. For more nail tutorials, subscription box updates, and designs, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, LinkedIn, and YouTube.