If you’re of a certain age or if you like old movies, you might remember the delightful film - White Christmas - with Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney. In the movie, Bing sings the Irving Berlin classic - Count Your Blessings - to Rosemary.
“If you’re worried and you can’t sleep
Just count your blessings instead of sheep
And you’ll fall asleep
counting your blessings.”
(Count Your Blessings by Irving Berlin, 1954)
It’s a sweet moment and to see it, go here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DARnIsN2bc
It seems Mr. Berlin was on the right track; researchers in psychology have confirmed that keeping track of your blessings, those people, things, and events in your life for which you are grateful, is good for you. As a matter of fact, expressing gratitude can contribute mightily to human health, happiness, and social connection. And good restful sleep. Really.
Robert Emmons, psychology professor at the University of California, Davis, is author of the book, Thanks! How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier. Emmons wrote, “Our groundbreaking research has shown that grateful people experience higher levels of positive emotions such as joy, enthusiasm, love, happiness, and optimism, and that the practice of gratitude as a discipline protects a person from the destructive impulses of envy, resentment, greed, and bitterness.”
Now that’s quite a statement but the research (extensive and not only that of Emmons) is compelling. Even middle school kids, when asked to keep a log of up to 5 things they were grateful for from the previous day, developed higher levels of optimism, life satisfaction and exhibited more gratitude toward people who had helped them.
So while you are stuffing your face tomorrow, consider taking a moment and reflect on the many things for which you can be grateful such as the meal you are consuming and the people with whom you are dining.
As for me, I will certainly be thankful for food and the abundance of it along with the joy of friendships and family connections. Good health is another biggie (which looms more important as I get older) along with possessing some skills and talents; having a home, having been raised by loving parents, having had a good education, having had the opportunity to ehlp people transform their lives, etc. There is so much. Hmmm…I think I’ll sleep well tonight!
Happy Thanksgiving to you!
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