The Gratitude Triple-Play

​I am privileged to associate with Dr. Paul H. Jenkins at our local National Speaker Association. Dr. Jenkins is a psychologist and author of the book, "Pathological Positivity", so it won't come as any surprise that he speaks a lot on the power of positive attitudes and thinking upon our lives. I'll share with you a scenario that he ran through with the audience:

One-minute faith hack

​Imagine a scenario where you have walked into your local high school and as you are headed in to do whatever you came for, you hear a commotion behind you and realize that a man with a ski mask and a gun has come into the school.
 
At that moment, how would you feel? Afraid? Protective? Why would you feel that way? No doubt, our imaginations would have been running rampant as we imagined what might happen next. Would we be another horror story on the news? Would we die? Are we helpless? These are all normal ways for the mind to think. But our imaginations dictate our feelings as a result.
 
Now return to the imagined scenario and pretend that the school policeman just happens to be right behind the man when he enters, and quickly throws his arms around the perpetrator, throwing him to the ground. In the process, you hear one explosive, ear-splitting shot as the gun goes off. You feel a searing pain and realize you have been shot......................in the foot.
 
When we add the three words, "in the foot", everyone begins to laugh. Why? Because when you imagine getting shot, you picture the worst: the head, the heart, a vital organ. But getting shot in the foot is not the worst thing in the world. Some surgery, weeks of rest and you'll likely be good as new.
 
Dr. Jenkins goes on to explain that whenever we are dealing with "what is", we have a tendency to focus on what could have been, or what could be next. And the way we approach those questions will determine whether we suffer from anxiety and depression or gratitude and peace. For example, some people would go around complaining to the world about how awful it is to be shot in the foot and all of the things they can't do for several weeks. They will feel frustrated and perhaps angry, robbing themselves of happiness and peace.
 
Others would look at the situation and realize that it could have ended far worse. They could be dead. The shooter could have killed many people. The stray bullet could have lodged in some vital organ causing massive damage that would affect the rest of their lives. To these people, getting shot in the foot is a blessing. Even the fact that they were shot and not others can be a great source of comfort to those who are searching for the angle of gratitude in the situation.
 
Attitude is everything. And realizing that any situation in our lives could always be worse and focusing on the positive aspects of our situations produces actual hormones in the brain that cause peace and contentment with life the way it is. The foot will still hurt. We may still find ourselves with difficulties we didn't choose and don't want, but our general outlook of positivity will help us to move forward in a productive way, learning from the situation and becoming better by it.
 
On this Thanksgiving week, I share with you what Dr. Jenkins calls the Gratitude Triple Play. If you want to develop your gratitude, list three things you are grateful for in your life, however two of those things have to come from situations that are a real challenge for you.  The idea is that anyone can be grateful when everything is going the way they want them to, but to look for the things we are grateful for in the midst of trial and adversity is a powerful way to choose happiness and peace in our daily lives.
 
Let us choose not only a “Happy Thanksgiving”, but a happier life as well, by practicing our Gratitude Triple Play this holiday season, and every season thereafter.