Reflections of Gratitude

By Michele Robertson

This time of year brings about reflections of gratitude as Thanksgiving and the holiday season approach. Family and community top the list of individuals polled about what they’re grateful for at this moment in their lives.

“My ability to dance,” Shannon N.

“Education and the opportunity to make a difference in my community,” Sarah J.

“Kids! And parenting,” Andie B.

“The ability to stay home and homeschool my kids and everything God has graced me and my children with,” Megan J.

“I’m grateful for the moments I thought were my downfall, only to realize that they were a blessing. I realized when life gets hard, that’s just you working for the life you couldn’t have ever dreamed of,” Sonia F.

“My kids being healthy and adulting so well,” Kim H.

“The health and happiness of my children,” Elizabeth J.

“That I have the magic power of music in me,” Eric H.

“One thing I am grateful for is this community and its generosity. No matter what might be needed—time, support, kindness, resources—there’s always a person, an organization, a business ready to step up and help,” Therese R.

“My kids, grandkids, my husband, and that I don’t have to cook again this year,” Edith C.

“Support,” Terri R.

“Having my children home with me, my partner, and my dogs,” Michele R.

“Being able to bloom where I was planted. I reluctantly moved here with my two little kids 13 years ago this week to follow my husband’s career. I had no idea what blessings were in store for us, all because of the people we have met in this dusty little town in ‘the middle of nowhere.’ I’m so grateful we are here now,” Lisa C.

Gratitude and positive thinking go hand in hand; the more positive our outlook is, the more we can be grateful for. There’s science behind the ability to rewire your brain to think in a positive manner, rather than a negative one. Ron Haugen, DNP, CNP, CNS, a behavioral health specialist with Artesia General Hospital, shared the science of positive thinking and neuroplasticity.

“Simply put, neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to change itself. This can be effective in self-improvement or detrimental and a barrier to healthy living.

“For example,” he continued, “if you are constantly focused on self-doubts, past failures, and missed opportunities, then your thinking becomes biased toward pessimism and negativistic thinking patterns. You become really good at worrying, expecting danger, remembering bad outcomes, and doubting yourself.

“These repeated thoughts activate the threat and fear center of the brain called the amygdala. Logic, planning, and impulse control are suppressed in the prefrontal cortex. This is not because the person is weak, but because the brain has adapted around negative thoughts and experiences, therefore ‘hard-wired’ now through a pessimistic and defeatist lens. In real life, this could lead to negative outcomes in work, relationships, financial decisions, and in health,” said Haugen.

“For an individual, the practice of positive thinking is likely to have better outcomes, or at the very least a healthier view and solution-based approach to said outcomes,” he said.

“To be clear, positive thinking does not equate to ‘fake optimism,’ but rather a disciplined and gradual process of intentionally activating healthier pathways in the brain to strengthen new ones while weakening the old,” Haugen explained.

“This activation of alternate neural circuits now strengthens the prefrontal cortex and calms the amygdala as it reshapes the brain’s default emotional tone. You can start by taking small steps by repeating to yourself during challenging times constructive thoughts,” Haugen added.

Taking the time to see the good in each day can have an impact on one’s mindset and how the day will go. May this holiday season help us all to see the positive, even when it all feels heavy and negative.

There is much going on in the world that is beyond our control, and it feels as though the best thing we can do is our best, right here at home. Helping one another, building community, and making the space we share together a little brighter for all.