I am happy to report that the Snyder family had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We spent the week in Scottsdale, Arizona with my family roasting turkey and roasting by the pool. It felt like we had Thanksgiving at every meal. I felt hungry today for the first time in a week, and for a pregnant Ghent, that is saying something!
On the subject of Thanksgiving, I read a very cool study about people who keep a journal of all the things they are thankful for. Here are some of the benefits of having an “attitude of gratitude”:
• considerably more satisfaction with their lives as a whole
• more optimism about the upcoming week
• more connected with others
• builds and strengthens social bonds and friendships
• feel loved and cared for by others
• strengthens sense of spirituality
• broadens the scope of cognition and enables flexible and creative thinking
• facilitates coping with stress and adversity
• makes people feel good in the present, and increases the likelihood that people will function optimally and feel good in the future.
• more positive and optimistic appraisals of one’s life
• more time spent exercising
• fewer reported physical health problems/symptoms
• more likely to report having helped someone with a personal problem or offered emotional support to another
I am thankful for this study!
Counting Blessings Versus Burdens: An Experimental Investigation of Gratitude and Subjective Well-Being in Daily Life, Emmons RA, McCullough ME, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 84(2): 377-389, 2003.
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4 comments:
I've always wanted to do this kind of a journal, but (as usual) haven't followed through for long...maybe this will inspire me again. Items that won't appear in said journal: fat ankles, numb fingers, and scales. Things that could appear: feeling Hamilton move and having less than 3 weeks left of teaching! Oh...and a FAB sister-in-law! :)
Glad you all had a Happy Thanksgiving!
Kate,
I can't wait to see you at Christmas! And little Hamilton, of course. From Luke's experience, I know the power of persuasion from an aunt, so I'm sure he will be around when I'm there. Also, I sent a pre-Christmas gift down with my family to give to you, so I'll have my mom drop it off, or feel free to stop by.
By the way, I posted this comment first, and then realized I made a spelling error, so I deleted it, and now there is a suspicious looking "comment deleted" on my blog. Maybe I shouldn't have said anything so my blog looks exciting and scandalous.
Yeah...that "comment deleted" did have me thinking all kinds of things...did Travis say he was grateful for something he should have kept private? Did Oprah hack your blog and try to take credit for the "gratitude journal"? Not satisfied with writing in his blog, did my dad hijack the comment space for one of his entries? Ah well...spelling errors are pretty scandalous for us English teachers, too... :)
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