Each spring the Heathrow Country Club hosts a tennis tournament for the women of Central Florida. Altogether nearly 160 tennis enthusiasts play in the week-long tournament where much of the proceeds go to a charity. The 24th annual Heathrow Spring Fling was held this past week, and we were a proud sponsor of the event. We have a very strong following throughout the world-wide tennis community, and this event is always a blast to take part in. Not only is it a week of great tennis, but for many it’s a time to connect with friends who truly appreciate their time together.
For me, it is a break from the normal routine and is quite enjoyable. Watching tennis, speaking with people regarding the products and how they can benefit, spending time outdoors, seeing friends, and last but not least, spending some time with my mother between her matches. While my mother plays tennis approximately 3x a week for a couple hours, she typically works long days of 12-14 hours at her company. The Spring Fling tennis tournament is a welcomed event for her for many reasons and acts as a ‘mini-vacation’. Tennis is a form of relaxation for her and she absolutely loves spending time with her friends on the court.
After speaking with so many people during the week, one common theme kept coming up – Feelings of Gratitude. While it may be difficult for us to appreciate the little things in life, I believe we all need to take a moment and cherish what is currently in our lives. The daily stresses may cloud our thoughts of gratitude, but it’s imperative that we never lose sight of what’s truly important and make a concentrated effort to be grateful each and every day.
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With my mother after one of her matches
Research has revealed that practicing gratitude will help you to:
1) Become healthier – Practicing gratitude is associated with better sleep, less depression, and less stress. Not only that, but research has shown those who practice gratitude also exercise more often, eat healthier, and generally feel healthier.
2) Reduce negative emotions – Gratitude improves psychological health as it reduces many toxic emotions such as feelings of insecurity, anger, bitterness and resentment.
3) Become happier – When we are grateful we learn to appreciate both the good and bad and learn from the life experience in one way or another. Recognizing all you have to be thankful for – even during the worst times of your life – fosters resilience.
4) Improve self-esteem – A 2014 study published in the Journal of Applied Sport Psychology found that gratitude increased athlete’s self-esteem, which is an essential component to optimal performance.
As you can see, practicing gratitude is one of the simplest ways to improve your satisfaction of life.
Yours in health and vitality,
Kris Vigue
CEO
I strongly believe in Athlete’s Best and its products. With them I have energy all day, feel great, and I’ve been told that my blood-work is better than most 30 year olds. That’s huge as it wasn’t the case several years ago. So what am I grateful for? I’m grateful that there is someone who cares strongly about providing the best products out there for me (and others of course). Thanks Kris.