In light of this recent video, I want to share a few thoughts. This message is from President Russell M. Nelson, the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (the church to which I belong).
I love his message of hope and healing about gratitude. It’s true. Expressing gratitude really does make one happier (I could link some studies here but you have Google, so just check it out yourself. If you’re really stuck, here are a few: this one by the Harvard School of Medicine, this one published by Berkley, and this one published by the National Institute of Health.)
Putting a better focus on what I’m grateful for has already helped me immensely. When I served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ in Poland, one of my mission companions would ask me every night as we were about to go to sleep, “What were you grateful for today?” It was such a helpful habit that it remained with me — missions aren’t easy and sometimes just that simple reflection turned a very difficult day into one full of miracles and blessings. What were you grateful for today? I kept asking myself and my other companions that question the rest of my 18 months of service, even after my first companion went home (she had started her mission earlier than I had).
✨ Anyone, and I mean ANYONE can be grateful. Even our 18 month old girl (who can’t talk much yet) will point at people and things that she’s grateful for when we ask her at dinner.
✨Expressing gratitude — either verbally or in writing — makes more of an impact on me than just thinking about what I appreciate. But even that helps too. I remember one time in 9th grade, I was lying in the grass at my junior high school waiting for my mom to pick me up after school had ended. For some reason (this is before smart phones 😂), it was taking a bit longer and I was just lying there with not much to do. So I started naming what I was grateful for — the beautiful warm sun, the nice leaves above me, the bright blue sky, the clouds, etc. Before I knew it, my mom pulled up. I remember she was a little apologetic because it had taken awhile and I had been waiting longer than I would have normally. But I honestly told her that I didn’t mind at all! The wait had actually been very pleasant and totally brightened my mood.
✨ I have way more of what matters than what doesn’t. Does that even make sense? The things that matter most in life: quality relationships, safety, freedom, peace, knowledge, health, etc. I have so much of that. The things that don’t actually matter in the long run: what kind of car I drive, what I wear, how big our house is, what stuff we have, etc.
✨ Haters gonna hate. One thing that’s irked me a bit during this 7-day challenge of just being more grateful is the critique. I’ve seen a few things on social media echoing something along the lines of “Be aware of what you post because life isn’t all about rainbows and sunshine” or “try to post about not-the-typical normal answers like family.” Look, I’m all for critiques. Anyone who knows me knows that giving critique is like my backbone. I was an English major for crying out loud. And I can appreciate the points those commenters are trying to make. But to them I say two things: 1) Being more grateful was the point. Doesn’t matter how. Let people be grateful for what they want! 2) Be the change you wish to see in the world (thank you for that mindset, Gandhi!). If you want to see gratitude posts about hard stuff, YOU be the trend-setter and post one! You be the one to flip the script. Literally no one is stopping you so do the thing you wish everyone was doing.
Ok mini rant over! In other news...here is our turkey of gratitude! We write something on each feather that we’re grateful for. Funny story — Theo wanted “January” and “ceiling” on there. But those made it on the list before “Aunt Hannah.” Let’s just say she was not so happy about it 😂
P.s. I got to interview my grandpa last week about some family history. Check out this cool picture of my great-grandpa, Andrew Busby Oswald. He was one of the first white people to really get to know the Native Americans.
