Gratitude
A Powerful Intention
It’s not what I intended to write about this month. But then something happened that caused me to ditch my previously chosen topic for this one.
During a visit to our daughter’s family in Montana last week, seemingly out of nowhere, a powerful storm with hurricane force winds struck Western Montana, uprooting trees and toppling power lines. It lasted less than an hour, but the damage was eye-popping. A state of emergency was declared in the city and county, 20,000+ without power.
My husband and I make our home in the Midwest, where such powerful storms are not unusual. But Montanans were stunned. One employee at the hardware store where we purchased a generator thought he recalled a similarly strong storm sometime during the 1990’s. Clearly not a common occurrence.
Our daughter and son-in-law’s little farm had significant tree damage, and we spent most of the next day cleaning up debris. In their neighborhood, the sound of chain saws slicing through tree trunks and branches dominated the airwaves.
Fortunately, none of the buildings on their property were damaged, but many neighbors weren’t as lucky. Our electricity came back on the next day, but four days later some people are still waiting. It’s impossible to find bags of ice, and grocery stores had to throw away most of their refrigerated items after the massive power outage.
So, why gratitude, you might ask.
We all experience difficult things from time to time. Life happens! Practicing gratitude has helped me cope at difficult times and more importantly, helped me gain perspective. For example:
· When the storm hit, we were fortunate to be in a solid structure and suffered no physical harm
· While the farm suffered lots of tree damage, no tree was a total loss.
· None of the animals were harmed.
· When the power went out, we were fortunate to have the means to purchase a generator to power freezers and prevent further loss.
· Our strong, healthy bodies allowed us to do the physical labor necessary to restore order on the farm.
From a scientific perspective, research shows that grateful people report better physical health. Practicing gratitude can transform our lives. Developing appreciation for what we already have can improve our mental and physical wellbeing. Studies in the areas pf psychology and neuroscience have shown that gratitude can:
· Boost feel-good chemicals
· Regulate stress
· Train the brain to be more attuned to positivity
· Enhance neural connectivity in the parts of the brain associated with social bonding
· Improve self-esteem
Here are three pretty easy ways to get you started on your gratitude practice:
· Notice good things, look for them, appreciate them.
· Savor, absorb, and really pay attention to those good things.
· Express your gratitude to yourself, write it down, or thank someone.
Writing this blog post, I feel gratitude as I take my first sip from a cup of hot, rich coffee with just a splash of cream, served in a beautiful hand-crafted mug. It can be that simple.
Sources: https://www.mindful.org, https://www.calm.com