Living with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)
HABIT Healthy Action to Benefit Independence & Thinking™
Welcome to the HABIT page for people living with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and program participants. The HABIT Program is for individuals with MCI and their loved ones to learn the best strategies for adapting, coping, and living their best lives with MCI.
Follow the HABIT page to receive updates and information about adjusting to MCI and combating dementia. Our goal is to connect you with others and provide you with information and support.
Gratitude Changes Everything
Would having Thanksgiving every day improve our health? Yes. But this doesn’t mean heaping our plates full of turkey, gravy, stuffing and pie daily. It means being grateful every day.
One of the special things about Thanksgiving is expressing our gratitude. The holiday reminds us to pause, reflect and see the blessings in our lives.
Can we be grateful every day even when we feel overwhelmed or when upsetting events occur? Yes. That’s when you need an extra dose of gratitude that can give you a new perspective.
Gratitude is an attitude – a sense of appreciation for the gifts in our life. Research shows that practicing gratitude can make you healthier and happier. It improves sleep, boosts immunity and improves relationships. Focusing on blessings can help ward off depression and build resilience in times of stress and grief. While we can’t always choose what happens to us, we can choose how we feel about it.
Some techniques to help you to build your sense of gratitude:
- Start The Day With Gratitude. As soon as you wake up, before you get out of bed, practice gratitude. Take a few deep breaths and think about three people in your life that you are grateful for. While breathing in slowly and deeply, visualize the first person. Then send him or her your silent gratitude as you breathe out. Repeat the exercise with each person. To remind you to do this practice, write a sticky note with the word “Gratitude” on it and post it in your bathroom or put it in your calendar.
- Keep A Gratitude Journal. Studies suggest that writing in a gratitude journal one to three times per week might actually have a greater impact on our happiness than journaling every day. Write down three things for which you feel grateful. The things you list can be relatively small in importance, such as someone opening the door for you or feeling a breeze on your face. The goal of the exercise is to remember a good event, experience or people in your life—then savor the positive emotions that come with it. Write down how these events made you feel at the time and how this event makes you feel now.
- Count Your Blessings, Not Sheep. Before going to sleep or if you awaken during the night and can't sleep, review the things you have done that day and the people in your life and look for moments that make you realize how fortunate you are.
“Look closely and you will find that people are happy because they are grateful. The opposite of gratefulness is just taking everything for granted…The root of joy is gratefulness...It is not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful.” David Steindal-Rast (Benedictine Monk)
Meet others talking about how they incorporate gratitude into daily life in the gratitude discussion.
Debbra Williams, Alumna Mentor
@debbraw
@debbraw
Posts: 1210
Joined: Dec 04, 2017
Debbra thank you for your kind comments. I look forward to hearing about your experiences.
@michellegraffradford – You definitely inspired a lot of gratitude sharing! We are checking in over at this address and welcome you to stop by there anytime. It ALWAYS lifts my spirits!
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/gratitude-discussion-group/
Liked by Colleen Young, Connect Director, Lyn
Dlady
@damlady2
@damlady2
Posts: 4
Joined: Aug 17, 2017
I Needed .this. My 13 year old beautiful granddaughter was not successful in her suicide attempt and for that I am grateful. After being in a Mentak Behavior hospital for 3 weeks she was just released to residence care. I am so very grateful I got to visit her on a Thanksgiving Eve. I hugged her and told her how much I love her. She is on her way to recovery but it will take time . I am so very grateful for her. She is my only ganddaughter was trying to b perfect with good grades and all the activities in school. She had some setbacks and could not handle it. I am grateful for her.
My 13 year old granddaughter is now in residential care after after a suicide attempt and anorexia. She was in a Behavioral hospital for a month. My prayer is for to realize how beautiful and how loved she is by family and friends and not listen to the voices in her head. She is still self harming and losing weight. I am thankful she is receiving treatment from a respected care team.
Liked by Colleen Young, Connect Director, Teresa, Volunteer Mentor, Debbra Williams, Alumna Mentor, lioness ... see all
jodeej
@jodeej
@jodeej
Posts: 594
Joined: Jan 13, 2018
I feel so badly for all both of you and family. Middle School and high school are so hard. Prayers that your granddaughter begins to realize her worth and that she is loved.
Blessings,
JoDee
Liked by Teresa, Volunteer Mentor, lioness, Ginger, Volunteer Mentor, Lyn ... see all
lioness
@lioness
@lioness
Posts: 7626
Joined: Jan 09, 2018
My 13 year old granddaughter is now in residential care after after a suicide attempt and anorexia. She was in a Behavioral hospital for a month. My prayer is for to realize how beautiful and how loved she is by family and friends and not listen to the voices in her head. She is still self harming and losing weight. I am thankful she is receiving treatment from a respected care team.
@damlady2 Im so sorry for your granddaughter and you I pray she gets the help she needs and will be more normal soon Prayers being sent her way
Liked by Teresa, Volunteer Mentor
Debbra Williams, Alumna Mentor
@debbraw
@debbraw
Posts: 1210
Joined: Dec 04, 2017
My 13 year old granddaughter is now in residential care after after a suicide attempt and anorexia. She was in a Behavioral hospital for a month. My prayer is for to realize how beautiful and how loved she is by family and friends and not listen to the voices in her head. She is still self harming and losing weight. I am thankful she is receiving treatment from a respected care team.
@damlady2 – My heart and prayers are going out to you and your family. I hope the residential care helps her re-connect with the beauty that is inside her. I had a friend whose daughter was anorexic and it was just horrible for the family to watch how she was hurting herself, but the residential treatment turned things around and she is now a thriving, healthy college student. I'm wishing the best for all of you. And if you have a chance, join us over on the other group where we are doing a Gratitude Group. Would love for you to be part of it. Just click here:
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/gratitude-discussion-group/
Liked by Teresa, Volunteer Mentor, lioness, Lyn
Lisa Lucier
@lisalucier
@lisalucier
Posts: 4006
Joined: May 11, 2017
My 13 year old granddaughter is now in residential care after after a suicide attempt and anorexia. She was in a Behavioral hospital for a month. My prayer is for to realize how beautiful and how loved she is by family and friends and not listen to the voices in her head. She is still self harming and losing weight. I am thankful she is receiving treatment from a respected care team.
Hi, @damlady2 – I can imagine this has been very hard with your granddaughter.
I wanted to suggest this discussion on self-harm here on Mayo Clinic Connect that might be useful for you related to her situation:
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/selfharm
You may also find other discussions of interest in the Mental Health group https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/mental-health/ or the Depression & Anxiety group https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/depression-anxiety/.
bvgrammy
@bvgrammy
@bvgrammy
Posts: 16
Joined: Aug 30, 2016
I would like too. I am new as of today. Sheila
Liked by Colleen Young, Connect Director, Teresa, Volunteer Mentor, Debbra Williams, Alumna Mentor, Lyn
Debbra Williams, Alumna Mentor
@debbraw
@debbraw
Posts: 1210
Joined: Dec 04, 2017
I would like too. I am new as of today. Sheila
Hi @bvgrammy – Welcome to Connect! You will find so many great people here who have caring hearts and sharing spirits! Can you tell me a little bit more about what brought you to Connect? I hope you will join our Gratitude Group. Here is the link.
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/gratitude-discussion-group/
Just click the link and you'll be over there. Meantime, I'm going to give you a welcome over on that group so others know you are coming. Glad you are here!
Liked by Teresa, Volunteer Mentor, Lyn, Becky, Volunteer Mentor
bvgrammy
@bvgrammy
@bvgrammy
Posts: 16
Joined: Aug 30, 2016
I would like too. I am new as of today. Sheila
Looks like I posted something in Aug, of 2016. Forgot. But today is my first post in a long time. Thank you.
Liked by Colleen Young, Connect Director, Teresa, Volunteer Mentor, Lisa Lucier, Debbra Williams, Alumna Mentor
Molly MIller
@mollymiller
@mollymiller
Posts: 52
Joined: Jun 03, 2017
I am grateful for the FLOCK of cardinals that perched in the huge pine tree in my yard during the snowstorm last week. They took turns with the ther birds, feeding at the seed station. The brilliant red was astounding and I have been told that cardinals represent a visit from a friend or family member who has passed away. Whatever ~ I lost myself in their colors and flights to and from the feeder. The little females, so different in color gave me pause and some interesting free association thinking.
Liked by Colleen Young, Connect Director, Teresa, Volunteer Mentor, bonniep, Lyn ... see all
lioness
@lioness
@lioness
Posts: 7626
Joined: Jan 09, 2018
I am grateful for the FLOCK of cardinals that perched in the huge pine tree in my yard during the snowstorm last week. They took turns with the ther birds, feeding at the seed station. The brilliant red was astounding and I have been told that cardinals represent a visit from a friend or family member who has passed away. Whatever ~ I lost myself in their colors and flights to and from the feeder. The little females, so different in color gave me pause and some interesting free association thinking.
@mollymiller The birds are one thing I really miss from my home in Pa . I had them ,jaybirds love to see them hear there squack and other birds here in Calif. I only see crows ,pigeons. Once I did see a Golden Eagle beautiful bird.
Becky, Volunteer Mentor
@becsbuddy
@becsbuddy
Posts: 1681
Joined: Nov 09, 2018
How wonderful that our Gratitude Group (GG) is growing each day.
@hopeful33250 Add me to the group! I’m grateful that today I’m feeling better and that I saw the big, beautiful moon!
Liked by Teresa, Volunteer Mentor, lioness, Lyn
lioness
@lioness
@lioness
Posts: 7626
Joined: Jan 09, 2018
@just up n our roof got some cool pictures of clouds never saw this pattetn before and moon
Liked by Teresa, Volunteer Mentor, Lisa Lucier, Molly MIller, Ginger, Volunteer Mentor ... see all
Ellen
@helenfrances
@helenfrances
Posts: 464
Joined: Aug 30, 2019
I Needed .this. My 13 year old beautiful granddaughter was not successful in her suicide attempt and for that I am grateful. After being in a Mentak Behavior hospital for 3 weeks she was just released to residence care. I am so very grateful I got to visit her on a Thanksgiving Eve. I hugged her and told her how much I love her. She is on her way to recovery but it will take time . I am so very grateful for her. She is my only ganddaughter was trying to b perfect with good grades and all the activities in school. She had some setbacks and could not handle it. I am grateful for her.
Your granddaughter has a wonderful grandmother.
She is blessed to have your love.
You will be a good role model for her… by sharing your experiences with her… some successes, some not so!
My daughter was a scholar and a heavily recruited athlete. She became very thin and her pediatrician talked to her about a healthy weight.
We learned that my daughter was being bullied by a ‘friend’ who was academically successful, but who was not successful as an athlete.
Communication is so important with our growing children.
I look forward to a post from you telling us that your granddaughter is doing well.
Liked by victorkach
@michellegraffradford
Doris thank for your kind words. It warms my heart to hear that you were able to use the techniques. Hope your dear Mom is doing better.
Liked by Teresa, Volunteer Mentor, Debbra Williams, Alumna Mentor