Faith, Gratitude, and Mental Health: A Thanksgiving Reflection for Couples

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I. Introduction: Why Thanksgiving Hits Differently for Couples

Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite times of the year. I love the food, the festivities, the smell of something cooking in the oven, and the feeling of people coming together. I love the “idea” of slowing down and remembering what matters most.

But I also know this is not everyone’s experience.
Some of you dread the holidays.
Some of you feel the weight of grief, painful memories, unresolved family tension, or years where Thanksgiving didn’t go the way you hoped it would. Some of you see this season on the calendar and immediately feel your stomach drop. If that’s you, I’m truly sorry. I hurt with you.

My desire in writing this is simple:
to give you hope, to offer comfort, and to help you see this season through a new lens, one filled with faith, gratitude, and emotional grounding.

Even in my own life, Thanksgiving has shifted depending on the season. Some years feel joyful and easy. Other years feel heavy, stressful, or just…off. This year I’m fighting a seasonal cold and hoping I feel well enough to enjoy Thanksgiving Day at all! Every year comes with different highs and lows.

And that’s the point.
Thanksgiving isn’t about pretending everything is perfect. It’s about slowing down, reconnecting, and allowing gratitude to bring perspective into whatever season you’re in, whether joyful or hard.

Gratitude is powerful. It reframes how we see our marriage, our family, and our purpose. Gratefulness reconnects us emotionally and spiritually. It reminds us that God is still present, even in our pain.

Together, let’s explore how faith, gratitude, and mental health come together in this season, and how this combination can bring healing and connection to your marriage.

II. The Spiritual Roots of Gratitude in Christian Marriage

As I think back over this year, I can clearly see the highs and lows, not only in my own life, but in the lives of the many people I’ve sat with in counseling. I’ve listened to stories of betrayal, confusion, loss, and stress. I’ve also witnessed beautiful moments of reconciliation, breakthroughs, answered prayers, and marriages finding renewed connection.

And in both the painful stories and the joyful ones, gratitude has a place.

What Scripture Teaches About Thankfulness

Let’s pause and look at what God says about gratitude, especially during times like these.

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
— 1 Thessalonians 5:18

“All circumstances” is a tall order. It almost feels impossible until you read those last words — in Christ Jesus.
We don’t give thanks because life feels easy. We give thanks because Christ is in it with us.

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts… and be thankful.”
— Colossians 3:15

Peace and gratitude live together.
God commands thankfulness not because He wants to burden us, but because gratitude opens the door to peace, connection, and emotional healing.

“Enter His gates with thanksgiving…”
— Psalm 100:4

Thanksgiving is how we enter into God’s presence. Gratitude isn’t just an emotion. It’s an act of worship.

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.”
— Psalm 136:1

No matter our circumstances, God’s character remains steady:
He is good.
He is loving.
He is faithful.
And gratitude brings these truths back into focus when life makes them hard to see.

How Gratitude Honors God AND Strengthens Marriage

Now, let’s bring this into your marriage.

Your marriage may be great right now, or it may feel like it’s barely holding together. Either way, there is always something to be grateful for.

Maybe it’s:

  • that you’re not alone

  • that you have someone who’s trying

  • that you have someone who shares life with you

  • that you have someone willing to grow with you

  • that God hasn’t given up on your story

Gratitude doesn’t ignore your pain. It shines light on blessings you may have stopped noticing.

And in marriage, gratitude:

  • creates emotional safety

  • builds compassion

  • softens defensive walls

  • increases connection

  • reminds your spouse they are seen and appreciated

Gratitude is not small.
It’s a form of love.
It honors the other person.
It strengthens the bond between you.
It’s one of the simplest but most powerful tools for healing and building connection.

III. The Psychology of Gratitude: Why It’s Good for Mental Health

Gratitude isn’t only spiritual.  It’s deeply psychological.

Research shows that practicing gratitude consistently can:

  • reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression

  • improve mood

  • regulate emotions

  • increase resilience

  • strengthen relationships

  • even improve physical health

This is why gratitude is used in therapy, positive psychology, and wellness practices.
It has measurable, replicable results.

And you can try it yourself.

A Simple Experiment

  1. Write down how you feel emotionally right now.

  2. Then create gratitude lists in different areas of your life:

    • marriage

    • family

    • work

    • health

    • faith

    • finances

    • friendships

  3. Reread your list throughout the day.

  4. At night, write down how you feel again.

Most people notice a shift, sometimes subtle, sometimes significant.

Because gratitude grounds us.
It reframes the story our brain is telling.
It brings hope where hopelessness has been creeping in.
It moves us toward emotional stability.

Why Gratitude Matters Even More During the Holidays

Let’s be honest: holidays are complicated.

They carry:

  • memories of people we miss

  • reminders of old conflicts

  • stressful family dynamics

  • financial pressure

  • sickness or exhaustion

  • disappointment from unmet expectations

  • anxiety that things won’t go smoothly

The problem often isn’t the holiday itself. It’s our expectations.

We want the picture-perfect Thanksgiving we see in movies or on social media.
But when reality doesn’t match the expectation, it can hit hard emotionally.

This is why gratitude matters so much during this season.

Gratitude:

  • pulls our focus away from the “shoulds”

  • helps us settle into the “what is”

  • reminds us of what’s meaningful

  • stabilizes our emotions

  • softens our reactions

  • helps us notice God’s presence in the ordinary

Gratitude doesn’t solve everything, but it brings balance to the stress and helps reorient our hearts toward what matters.

IV. Gratitude as a Couple: Turning Faith Into Practice

Let’s get practical.
Gratitude becomes powerful when you act on it, especially together as a couple.

Here are some practices that can strengthen your marriage this Thanksgiving season.

A. Daily Gratitude Rituals for Couples

1. The “3 Blessings” Bedtime Prayer

Sit together at night and share three blessings from the day.
Then pray together and thank God for them and for each other.

Slow down. Don’t rush it.
Let the weight of those blessings sink in.

2. A Shared Weekly Gratitude Journal

Each day, write 2–3 things you’re grateful for.
At the end of the week, read them together.

Affirm what matters to your spouse.
Validate how those blessings impact your relationship.

This builds emotional intimacy.

3. Thanking God Out Loud for Your Spouse

When you pray together, say one specific thing you see in your spouse that you’re thankful for.

This may feel awkward, but it is deeply meaningful.
Hearing your partner thank God for something about you touches the heart in a powerful way.

4. A Thanksgiving Week Devotional

Read a short devotional or Scripture on gratitude each day leading up to Thanksgiving.
Reflect. Connect.
Discuss how God is shaping your hearts through it.

B. The Power of Spoken Gratitude

We all think grateful thoughts.
But unspoken gratitude doesn’t help the person we love.

Spoken gratitude:

  • reduces tension

  • softens anger

  • increases closeness

  • builds safety

  • reassures your spouse that you see the good in them

If you tend to forget to share these thoughts, write them down.
Set a reminder.
Make a note on your phone.

Your spouse needs your voice.

C. Gratitude in Difficult Seasons

Some seasons are heavy.
Gratitude may feel forced.
And that’s okay.

You can be honest about the pain and still choose gratitude.

Gratitude is not about pretending life is great. It’s about recognizing what is still meaningful in the midst of the hard season.

Just like:

  • exercising

  • eating healthy

  • sleeping well

  • going to work

  • connecting with others

Gratitude is a discipline that benefits you whether you “feel like it” or not.

It takes faith to practice gratitude in hard times.
But it strengthens you emotionally, spiritually, and relationally.

V. Navigating Thanksgiving Stress as a Team

As you prepare for the holiday, let me offer you some guidance to help you stay connected as a couple.

A. Set Shared Expectations

You both have expectations for the holiday, even if you haven’t voiced them.

Talk about:

  • what each of you hopes will happen

  • what you’re concerned about

  • past hurts or triggers

  • family dynamics

  • what boundaries you need

  • what you’re looking forward to

  • where you need support

Start these conversations with gratitude:

“I’m grateful we get to do this together.”

It sets the tone.

B. Practice “Thankful Boundaries”

These are boundaries built on love, not avoidance.

Examples:

  • “Let’s leave around 6:30 so we don’t get overwhelmed.”

  • “Can we protect our morning so we’re not rushed?”

  • “Let’s agree on a signal if one of us needs a break.”

  • “Let’s simplify this year so we can enjoy it.”

Boundaries honor what’s important to both of you.

C. Support Each Other Emotionally

One of you may struggle more than the other.
That’s normal.

Stay close to each other:

  • offer empathy

  • pray together

  • use touch

  • encourage one another

  • remind each other you’re a team

Gratitude deepens when couples support each other through stress, not just in calm seasons.

VI. A Thanksgiving Reflection Exercise for Couples

This is the part I recommend you actually do together, either the morning of Thanksgiving or at some point during the day.

Find a quiet spot.
Sit together.
Put your phones away.
Invite God into the moment.

Take 10–15 minutes.
Let this be a grounding, connecting experience.

Step 1: Pray Together

“God, thank You for the gift of this relationship. Help us see the blessings You’ve given us this year. Help us notice the ways You’ve carried us through. Give us open, honest, grateful, and connected hearts as we reflect together. Amen.”

Step 2: Reflect on God’s Faithfulness

Each partner answers:

  • Where did you see God at work in your personal life this year?

  • Where did you see God at work in our marriage?

Let honesty lead.
There’s no right or wrong answer.

Step 3: Share What You’re Grateful For in Each Other

Each partner shares three specific things you appreciate about the other.

This is where connection grows.

Step 4: Talk About a Challenge You Overcame Together

Reflect on:

  • what the challenge was

  • how you handled it

  • where you grew

  • where you saw God’s guidance

This helps normalize hard seasons and celebrates resilience.

Step 5: Identify a Blessing You Want to Steward Well

Ask:

  • What blessing has God given us that we want to steward better next year?

Consider:

  • time

  • finances

  • marriage

  • spiritual growth

  • emotional health

  • parenting

  • community

Choose one shared goal to pray over in the coming year.

Step 6: Close in Prayer

“Lord, thank You for the story You’re writing in our marriage. Strengthen us where we’re weak. Guide us where we need wisdom. Help us grow in gratitude, unity, and emotional closeness. Make this next year one of deeper connection with You and with each other. Amen.”

VII. Closing: A Season to Reset, Reconnect, and Remember God’s Faithfulness

You are not alone this season.
God is with you.
He sees you.
He loves you.
He is faithful even in the hardest moments.

My prayer is that gratitude will help settle your heart, strengthen your marriage, and remind you of God’s goodness in your life.

Whether this season feels joyful or heavy, take small steps.
Connect with your spouse.
Invite God into the process.
Practice gratitude — even in tiny ways.

And if you need support during the holidays or want help reconnecting in your marriage, we’re here for you.

Legacy Marriage Resources offers in-person counseling in Augusta, GA, and online telehealth counseling.
If you’d like to talk, schedule an appointment. We’d be honored to walk with you.

God bless you this Thanksgiving.

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What is PTSD?

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Have you ever wondered what Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD is? Of course, you have! That’s why you are here. I realize as a therapist that this disorder is becoming more common due to COVID-19 and many other traumatizing events that are making our world more unpredictable. What are we supposed to do with all these negative things?

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How Relaxation Can Help Improve Your Marriage While Quarantined

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Can you resonate with being too busy? Overwhelmed? Stressed? Running to the store, going to work, cleaning the house, cooking, laundry, dishes, setting aside time with the kids, setting aside time to spend with the spouse, cutting the grass, etc. It seems to never end. Right? We all feel like we are on never ending treadmills. How many items on our list of tasks did we not complete today, and how many tomorrow and the next day will be left incomplete? What are we chasing after? If you are on that chase, and it is hurting your relationship or just causing you to not succeed, maybe it’s time to sit down, relax and allow yourself to assess and rework your day to day life.

Relaxation is important, as well as work is. Sometimes we get so caught up in what seems important to us that we do not take time to relax and take a break. When we are busy and do not take time to slow down and relax, we may find ourselves worse off than we thought we would be. Have you ever forgotten something or did poor work? Maybe it was because you overworked or overbooked yourself. Sometimes when we get too busy, we actually get less done and the quality of our work suffers.

These same concerns can come into marriage when life gets busy. Kids involved in every sport, racing to get to the next event, trying to just keep up with life and do it all. Are the mistakes and incomplete tasks piling up? Slowing down and taking things off your plate can be helpful. Taking the time to EXPERIENCE the moment instead of RUSH through it, can do wonders for increasing quality workmanship and relationships. Are we sacrificing depth for quantity?

Anxiety tends to be more prevalent in our world than in history. Why? Many leaders in the world believe it is due to the constant need to complete and compete to keep up. We don’t want to fall behind. What are we sacrificing just to keep up? Might this contribute to the divorce rate being 50% in America? Are we too busy and too overwhelmed to enjoy what we have right in front of us?

Here’s what you can do: Slow Down! Cut something out of your life. Take the time to see, smell, taste, hear and touch what is right in front of you. Experience your life! It will be well worth it. I have had clients that after working with them for a while, we come to realize their problem is that they see each day as a list of tasks to complete, but never really become fulfilled. Humans were not meant to be fulfilled by tasks, drugs, sex, or anything else that is finite. Experiences are not finite! God made us to enjoy Him and His creation. Do you enjoy your life? Even the tough times? Have you ever thought, “Wow, so this is what this feels like?” If you don’t know that quote, go watch Sweet Home Alabama and fast forward to the end. At the wedding, the main character stops the wedding and tells the groom he does not want to marry her. He is stunned. However, he does not react how most of us would. He was supposed to be angry. Instead, he marveled at the feeling of rejection. Whether we fail or succeed, is it possible to slow down and experience either outcome so we can know what REAL LIFE FEELS LIKE.

When you slow down in marriage and take the time to relax and experience each moment, your spouse will see a person who is genuine and real. Connection will be possible. Listening will be possible. Empathy will be possible. Love will be possible. Having a true life will be possible. You want your marriage to improve? Slow down and take the time to attend to each moment so that you don’t make mistakes and you go into every moment fulfilling your full potential in that moment. Surface level interaction never goes deep. We can talk about a lot of subjects, but until you take the time to stop, and focus on one subject deeply, you will never truly get anything out of anything. I can do a lot of things in a short amount of time, but it may not be quality work. I can do one thing in the same time and it will be quality and well done! How well do you want to do life? How well do you want to do marriage? Choose to slow down and do the simple things in marriage well!

Want to read the rest of the blog series? START HERE

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 706-955-0230.

To schedule an appointment online, click the orange button at the top right part of this page.

Next Post In Series – Teamwork

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10 Outdoors Activities That Can Improve Your Marriage During Quarantine!

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One of the best ways to improve your relationship is to have fun together. The more diverse the activities you experience together, the more you learn about each other and grow your admiration for one another. When you are stuck at home, one way to expand your activities is to get creative OUTSIDE. Obviously, we all have different places we live, but being in quarantine does not necessarily mean you have to stay in your house, at least in Georgia where I live. Getting outside provides you with Vitamin D from the sun that will help boost your mood. It will provide you with fresh air and room to move. Also, it gets you away from those screens that we all have our eyes glued to. When you get away from screen time you invite activities that help to release energy and stress.

Here is my list of 10 activities that everyone of us can do outdoors:

  1. Exercise: Running, walking, push-ups, squats, dancing, jumping, and many other exercises can help with releasing that pent up stress. It also allows you to release endorphins that help you to feel good. Think about how productive you will feel. Can you imagine how awesome you would feel if you used your free time to get back into that exercise routine that you failed at after New Year’s? It’s fortunately warming up and all exercise can be done, OUTSIDE! Another benefit is a boost in self-esteem when you achieve that “beach body” we all desire.
  2. Throwing a ball or a frisbee: My wife and I every now and then will find a place to throw a ball of some sort or a frisbee. I love it! I enjoy the competition we create, and I love the thrill on her face when I don’t throw so well and she still catches it. But wait, isn’t this exercise too? YES SIR! All the benefits from exercise still exists.
  3. Water activities: Wash your car, create a slip and slide, get a little mini pool or just douse each other with water balloons or buckets of water. Water makes summer fun, so who says we can’t go ahead and bring it out of hibernation. It’s warm enough, and even if it’s not, remember that exercise we talked about? If you do some of that first, you will be warm enough to play in water.
  4. Sidewalk Chalk: My kids love this! Since my son was old enough to draw, we have been chalking up our driveway. He likes to draw roads, houses and football stadiums. Remember Hop Scotch? I like these new “stain glass” chalk drawings that people are doing too. Art is a great way to use your mind and creativity. It also gets you our of the house.
  5. Garden: Now for some people this might be hard if you are in an apartment. However, you probably can still garden in some way. If you go out in the parking lot with a bucket, dirt, seeds and water, you can plant you a small plant, or flowers. Others of you who have even a small yard can create a garden or plant flowers. We bought some small wild flower seeds and a planter from Walmart and are now watching them grow.
  6. People Watch: It’s an old past time that none of us do much anymore. We don’t take the time to slow down and just sit. I know all of us are at home, but I bet if you find some green space, there will be people to watch. Go sit on a bench or lay a mat out and take the time to be curious about people and behavior.
  7. Picnics: Along with the people watching, bring along a lunch. Eat out side on your back porch. My kids love it when I say we can “have a picnic.” This activity combines sunshine, fresh air, food and people watching.
  8. Bird Watching: This is for the curious at heart. Find a bird book and go see how many different types of birds you can find together. You will be amazed at the thrill you will feel when you both spot a bird and can name it. I know I sound like a nerd, but it is fun and stimulating.
  9. Talk to your neighbors: Who ever said we couldn’t get out and see people? If you are standing outside, 6 feet, 10 feet, 20 feet away, it is probably unlikely you will catch COVID-19. And when was the last time you spoke to your neighbor, or even met them? Humans are social beings. Say hello, be curious and start up a conversation. Ask them how they are fairing and how their life has changed since all this started. Get to know them and you may have just made new friends with another couple.
  10. Prayer Walk: I know, this one is probably not one you were expecting. Out of so much more I could talk about. There are so many activities you could do and I would love to list them all, but walking and praying together is a great way to experience deeper understanding and connection with each other. Even if you don’t believe in God, maybe their is a way you do this differently. Couples are meant to connect on a deeper level to grow their relationship, and during this time, we need to believe in something more than ourselves.

I hope these 10 suggestions help. I know their are a lot more and if you think of more, share them with others. I just want to jog your thoughts to help you be open to the many outdoor activities that we can experience together, even when our world is turned upside down. I even encourage you to find some that you will continue when or if everything returns to normal. It’s more about connecting with each other than it is about the actual activity.

 

If you want to check out the original blog post for this series GO HERE!

If you have questions or have concerns about your relationship, please call me at 706-955-0230 or EMAIL ME from my CONTACT page.

Next Post In Series – Be playful

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Improve your marriage while in quarantine by sharing duties and giving time to reboot

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Many of us who are home at this time find that our duties are actually increasing. Children being home from school and more people in the household creating messes means more clean up and monitoring of the homestead. If you are still working, especially from home, you might be pulling double duty. This increases the stress that spouses are facing compared to the usual life of going to work. Few breaks are available. At least, if I am at work I get away from the home environment for some amount of time. If I am working from home and the kids are there, it all runs together. I fortunately have a remote place I can work from, but I have taken the time to go home for lunch or in the middle of the day for an hour or so. By doing this, I believe I am giving my wife a break and breaking up my own day.

Sharing duties and giving time to reboot can help with this increased strain on the household and the marriage. Communication is the key here. If you are feeling stressed and need some help with certain duties or just time to yourself, it is important to verbalize your needs. I unfortunately do not have the ability to hear my wife’s thoughts, so I bet your spouse does not have that ability either.

There are some keys to verbalizing your needs though.

First, understand that your expectations to get what you need may not be met. By lowering your expectations, you may help to keep from creating conflict with your partner. So, how does verbalizing my needs help? The more information provided to your spouse, the more likely they will be able to meet your needs or help you get what you need. I am sure you have heard the phrase, “If it is not documented, it didn’t happen.” In this case, if it was not verbalized, then it is not a problem to be resolved.

The second thing to remember when verbalizing your needs is TIMING. Please make sure you don’t just verbalize your needs because you are emotional. Emotions are never a good clock to tell you when you should communicate about something. God gave us brains for a reason. If your partner is busy, stressed or upset at that time, maybe it is not the best TIME to express needs.

Third, figure out how to express your needs in the best way possible. Check out my thoughts about communication in relationships. Finding the right way to say something is important. Some tips are to watch your tone, check your volume and monitor your attitude. Men, soften your voice like you are speaking to your beloved grandmother. A booming, commanding voice is not necessarily “assertive.”  Women, a high pitch, screechy voice will not get your husband to hear you. Try getting close to him, gently placing your hand on his arm and speaking him name in a regular, loving tone (Directed at both genders).   Ask your partner how they would like you to speak to them. Then, ask them to help you practice. Practice makes perfect.

By communicating well, you are able to help your spouse to understand your needs. Now that you are able to do that, partners need to be selfless. As you learn what your spouse needs, offer to help them with those needs. That’s where sharing duties comes in. If your husband is working from home and now finds himself pulling double duty with the kids and work, but usually cleans the bathrooms and takes out the trash too, maybe as a wife you can pick up one of those tasks to lighten his load. If you are a husband who’s wife is home all day with the kids (2 months before they were supposed to be home all day), tell your wife to go take a bath when you get home and enjoy some alone time while you make dinner, wash the dishes and get the kids ready for bed (Giving your wife a reboot). It is understandable that stress had increased along with possibly your duties at home. A little teamwork, sharing duties, and serving each other will go a long ways. It’s definitely not time to dig your hills in. It’s not time to fight. It’s time to communicate your needs and work as a team. Serving one another is loving one another. You finally have a chance to do that. Don’t waste time being mad at each other. Good Luck!

Check out the original post to this series HERE.

Next Post In Series – Learn about grace and forgiveness

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10 Ways to Improve Your Marriage While in Quarantine

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Staying home due to COVID-19? Are you finding it hard to manage your relationship, the children or working from home? The combination of those three can increase stress if you don’t know how to manage them well. It’s like the movie, The Perfect Storm. Please forgive me if I get this wrong, but if I remember correctly, in that movie 3 different storms come together and create a super storm. Sound familiar?

Having to work from home while the kids are home schooling and trying to keep from getting bored, and your spouse is home all day everyday, sounds like 3 stressful “storms” coming together to create a super storm. What are you going to do? How are you going to juggle it all?

Unfortunately, there may be more storms. If you are like me, I get cravings. The usual ability to get out and have fun or see different scenery than your own familiar walls is a very missed luxury during this time. Humans need newness, excitement and experiences outside the norm. I heard one person say recently, “There is a reason they use solitary confinement in jails and prisons.” We may not be totally isolated, but the combination of the changes that have come upon us so suddenly can cause intense amount of stress, especially when combined with the anxiety around COVID-19.

So, I want to try to help. Hopefully, this series of posts will provide some ideas on how to keep your relationship on track while working through the changes. Here are my 10 tips to improving your marriage during quarantine.

  1. Practice patience and kindness
  2. Bring back your creative side
  3. Share duties and give each other time to reboot
  4. Learn about grace and forgiveness
  5. Get outside
  6. Be playful
  7. Practice listening and understanding
  8. Rest
  9. Relax
  10. Focus on teamwork

These 10 tips are almost self explanatory, but I will expound on them in the next few blog posts. They may not seem like they are ways to improve your relationship, but if you are practicing each of these daily or weekly, I can assure you they will help. Please stay tuned. If you are having trouble in your relationship, please don’t wait to call me or email me so we can talk about how I can help you. Sometimes people just get temporarily stuck. Sometimes there are deeper things going on. Sometimes we just need someone to listen to us. Whatever it is, let me help!

Call 706-955-0230 to make an appointment or schedule through the patient portal.

Next Post In Series – Practice Patience and Kindness

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5 Tips to not “Fighting” in Marriage Communication

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Stress and your hands?

I read something interesting the other day. It was about how stress affects the body. At one of the places I have worked, I continuously help people manage stress, but one of the things I am always looking for is how to become more aware intense stress that we are holding onto in our lives. I have found it incredibly hard to manage stress or any negative emotion if awareness of the intensity or existence of that emotion is available.

We all have negative emotions. Stress, anxiety, anger, and fear are all present at some point within each one of us. Each person deals with those emotions differently. Yet, most people don’t practice emotion management on a daily basis because they don’t know that they need to. How many times have you become angry or over reacted and later regretted how you dealt with the situation? I can’t pass judgement on you, because I am guilty of this too!

If we could only determine ahead of our reaction that our emotions have become too intense. Well, I read an article about how stress effects the temperature of your hands.

The Concept: When we become stressed in any way, the temperature of our hands become cooler.  Examples of stress: Driving a car in heavy traffic, Taking a test, Talking to a superior, etc.

Hmm, it seems funny to me, because I would assume our pulse would increase and our blood would move faster through the body, thus, warming the whole body with the blood. HOWEVER, it is suggested that when a person becomes stressed, the blood flow actually travels more to the brain and away from the hands and, POOF, cooler hands. The reason it travels to the brain and away from extremities is to allow for greater ability to think through the issue.

If you want to know more about the why, google “stress and cold hands.”

I do not want to dwell too much on the fact that stress can cause hands and feet to cool, but I do think its important to have multiple ways to identify when your emotions are getting the best of you. I think knowing your body and how it responds to your emotions is a very important tool to managing your emotions and reactions. If I can become so in tune with these bodily reactions, then I will be one step closer to having better relationships and a better life.

The tools to managing stress are many, but recognizing when your hands are abnormally cool can be a possible sign that the stress and anxiety of life may be getting to you.

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