LIFESTYLE OUT OF MY MIND
HOW CAN WE THINK ABOUT BEING THANKFUL? BY PHILIP CHARD
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Don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone,” crooned folk singer . While referring to our trashing of the natural world in deference to convenience and greed, it rings true for our global pandemic, economic crisis and political mayhem, as well. Much of what we took for granted pre-COVID has abruptly disappeared or diminished. So, this Thanksgiving holiday, one that these crises will disrupt for many of us, the question emerges: “What do we have to be grateful for?” Well, oddly enough, some research suggests we are more likely to feel gratitude when times are tough. It seems the negativity around us brings the positivity we experience into sharper focus, pushing back against the tendency to take our blessings, even the small ones, for granted. What’s more, it can also render us more thankful for the good things we no longer possess. Granted, with some, the opposite proves true. Those who feel victimized by the disruptions from our trifecta of crises may find their blessings insufficient to garner appreciation. What’s more, they can descend into resentment for what they have lost, rendering them incapable of recognizing the goodness still present in their lives. Of course, those most battered by our collective ills, having lost loved ones, homes, livelihoods and the rest, harbor valid reasons to turn away from gratitude and toward sadness and anger. Unfortunately, if these negative feelings devolve into resentment, we only add to our misery with a self-inflicted emotional wound. Bitterness is caustic to both mind and body.
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Shepherd Express
So, is COVID rendering us less grateful or more? It’s a question asked by researchers at the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, who combed through inputs from their online gratitude journal, comparing them with pre-pandemic results. Here are a few of their findings: • Overall, the early stages of the pandemic saw a decline in expressions of gratitude. However, there is evidence this trend is reversing, a development attributed to greater acceptance of our new reality and a desire to positively adapt despite the hardships.
• Relationships, rather than possessions or successes, garnered a large share of the entries in the online gratitude journal, with many expressing a newfound appreciation for family, romantic partners, close friends and pets. This aligns with other research showing that, when the chips are down, most of us seek solace by connecting with others. Overall, when we share our distress, we diminish it. • Another interesting cluster involved appreciation for the kindness of strangers. While many are riled by the
