| I recently came across an article written a couple of | | | | start seeing them everywhere? That conversation is |
| years ago by Sarah Luczaj on the topic of gratitude | | | | like typing in the phrase "Vespa scooter" into your |
| that seemed even more relevant today than it did | | | | brain's search engine; even when you're not fully |
| when it was written. It has been a difficult time in our | | | | conscious of it, your brain is scanning your surroundings |
| country and in the world, and sometimes it can feel | | | | for sounds, shapes and even smells that will help you |
| impossible to find things to be grateful for. | | | | locate that item. |
| But what if gratitude were not a reaction to our life's | | | | The same principle applies to emotional habits. If we |
| events -- which will inevitably go up and down and | | | | train our minds on things like forgiveness, compassion, |
| which are by nature unpredictable -- and more a | | | | possibility and gratitude, we will recognize those things |
| matter of habit and choice? The topic seemed worth | | | | more in our lives. It's not about pretending that things |
| revisiting. | | | | are okay if they're not -- this is not a call to gloss over |
| According to a study by R.A. Emmons and M.E. | | | | real struggles that need to be addressed -- it's more |
| McCullough (2003), taking time regularly to note things | | | | about opening our eyes to the surplus of positive |
| you are grateful for can noticeably raise the "set point" | | | | things that actually do exist and that we sometimes |
| of happiness. As Luczaj summarized, "While studies | | | | can blind ourselves towards. As Luczaj puts it: "It is a |
| tend to confirm that no sudden stroke of good or bad | | | | necessary counterbalance to what feels like a natural |
| fortune can shift your basic level of happiness much, | | | | tendency to overlook so many good things in life." |
| the results of this study do suggest that taking a few | | | | Like all habits, it takes time to establish a grateful |
| minutes a day to note specific things we are grateful | | | | mindset. It helps to stick to positive, actual things -- for |
| for, as opposed to hassles and random things, can | | | | example, "I am healthy" rather than "I do not have the |
| boost baseline happiness by a full 25%." | | | | swine flu." This makes for less mental clutter -- and |
| Participants in the study reported higher levels of | | | | helps to halt fear from entering the picture. Another |
| happiness, which showed up in ways such as: being | | | | benefit is the attention given to the present moment. |
| optimistic about the future, feeling better about their | | | | Unhappy feelings are usually associated with past |
| lives, and doing almost 1.5 hours more exercise a | | | | events that were themselves unwanted or that |
| week than those who noted hassles and random | | | | transpired in ways we didn't want them to, or with |
| events. Later studies by the same researchers | | | | anxiety over things in the future over which we have |
| investigated the experience of people who were | | | | no control. This choice to focus on the present |
| suffering from chronic pain. Interestingly, their happiness | | | | moment can assist in easing our obsession with the |
| levels also increased at a similar rate with gratitude, | | | | past and can help to keep unnecessary worry at bay. |
| despite intense physical suffering. Those participants | | | | This decision often increases a sense of power and |
| also reported experiencing a better quality of sleep, | | | | clarity in our own lives, and highlights our healthy |
| which is a major factor in healing and pain | | | | interdependence with others in our families, faith life or |
| management. | | | | communities -- essentially, we are free to |
| The key to this study, perhaps, lies in a simple concept | | | | acknowledge others' contributions to our well-being and |
| pointed out by Luczaj: that "what we pay attention to | | | | to accept the care that we receive from those |
| grows," both in our awareness and in our experience. | | | | sources. |
| The brain is like a powerful search engine. When we | | | | In the time it takes us to floss and brush our teeth, this |
| bring something into our awareness -- a song, a certain | | | | simple exercise takes free-floating emotions, which |
| kind of car, a pair of boots we'd like, a social issue that | | | | often do not receive focused attention, and puts them |
| means a lot to us -- we invariably will notice that thing | | | | into words, which gives form to the positive things in |
| more and more popping up around us. Have you ever | | | | life and makes them more tangible and real. Who |
| had the experience of, say, having a conversation one | | | | knows what you might notice in three minutes a day? |
| day about Vespa scooters, and then suddenly you | | | | |