Posts about Apartment Life

The Benefits of Expressing Gratitude

At this time each year, you probably get bombarded by reminders to be thankful. Your cousin is doing a daily gratitude post on Instagram; your best friend decided to start a gratitude journal; the community group you attend invites a speaker to present on the subject. It may be easy to look past the principle of gratitude, but did you know there is research showing that those who express gratitude regularly are healthier and happier than those who don’t? This month of November, we here at The Block Townhomes Blog invite you to browse through these 31 benefits of gratitude you didn’t know about and start practicing a few things that help you reap these benefits. Here are a few of our favorites you can enjoy in your Starkville, MS apartment this month: More Optimistic There is a strong correlation between gratitude and optimism. Since a natural result of optimism is a happier mood, it in turn improves your overall health, and it’s likely to even end up adding a few more years to your life! If something as simple as spending five minutes a day reviewing what you are grateful for could have that large of an impact, we say it’s worth it! Better Sleep Gratitude will improve how quickly you fall asleep, how well you sleep, and the amount of time you stay asleep. When we fall asleep, we are oftentimes focused on the things that made us worry throughout the day. This will stress us out, and in turn, keep us up longer at night. Instead, try to identify a few things that you were thankful for that day. It will help you to relax and doze off into a deep sleep much faster! More Resilience People who cultivate an attitude of gratitude are more capable of bouncing back after something unexpected happens and rolling with the punches. When they experience a hard time, they’re more likely to reach out to someone who cares about them, which in turn decreases their likelihood of suffering PTSD in the future. Rather than being knocked down in times of difficulty, they are more likely to grow from these times. Deeper Relationships Developing a habit of expressing your gratitude means you are more likely to thank those you are closest to more sincerely, and more often. Sharing your deep gratitude with someone for what they bring to your life will help them know they mean something to you, and it’s bound to make them feel better as well. Consequently, you’ll develop a deeper connection with that person. Goal Achievement One study showed that those who keep a gratitude journal report more success at achieving their goals. Of course, one study can’t predict how everyone will fare, but it goes to show that if anything, taking some time to do a physical thing every day to express your gratitude won’t hinder your progress. It might even help you accomplish more! Thanks for reading, and have a happy Thanksgiving!

Homemade Fall Soups

Fall is the perfect time to enjoy a warm bowl of filling soup in the comfort of your apartment. The Block Townhomes Blog is sharing five homemade soup recipes in today’s post that you need to try. After tasting the deliciousness of homemade soup, you’ll never want to go back to the store bought version that comes in a can. Chicken Tortilla Soup from Genius Kitchen Enjoy all the flavors and spices of a chicken enchilada in this chicken tortilla soup. To make it, you will need the following ingredients: olive oil, onion, garlic cloves, jalapeno, green pepper, chicken breasts, frozen corn, water or dry white wine, cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper, chicken broth, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Serve with your favorite brand of tortilla chips. Apple Bacon Tomato Soup from All Recipes A flavorful and soothing soup featuring sauteed apples and chopped bacon. What you will need: bacon, olive oil, white onion, minced garlic, beef stock, pinto beans, Italian-style stewed tomatoes, celery stalks, a bay leaf, medium-sized apple, red wine, salt, and pepper. French Onion Soup from Gimme Some Oven French onion soup is, in our humble opinion, a fall staple. Gimme Some Oven has her own delicious version of this classic soup, complete with a delicious cheese-and-baguette topping. The soup itself is a delightful burst of flavor and perfectly caramelized onions. Trust us, after trying this recipe, you’ll never go back to the restaurant version ever again. Roasted Tomato Basil Soup from The Food Network Smooth and creamy, this is how tomato soup should be. This fresh, homemade version is so much better than any canned version you will find. To make it, you will need ripe plum tomatoes, olive oil, salt, black pepper, yellow onions, minced garlic, unsalted butter, red pepper flakes, canned plum tomatoes with the juice, fresh basil leaves, fresh thyme, and chicken stock or water. Loaded Baked Potato Soup from Damn Delicious Looking for a rich and filling soup? Look no further! This loaded baked potato soup has everything you love about a fully loaded baked potato, but in soup form. Ingredients include the following: sliced bacon, unsalted butter, flour, milk, russet potatoes (peeled), green onions, shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, salt, and ground black pepper. Share your favorite homemade soup recipes with the rest of our Starkville, MS apartment community in the comments. Thanks for reading our post.