It's Thanksgiving Day
Wishing you a season of thanksgiving.
EvergreenHealth is a special for everyone in our community. The core values of our organization support a culture of kindness, empathy and inclusion. On a regular basis, I hear from patients and community members regarding the very positive impact that occurs when our values are translated into action. We call this "living our values" and it's very real for those who experience it.
To those of you in health care who are working today, please accept thanks from EvergreenHealth's leaders. In health care, our specialized skills and presence are required day and night 365 days a year, holiday or no holiday. Please know that your community and especially your patients are grateful for your commitment to care today. You're a light in our community. You give us all a reason for gratitude.
I recently learned about a gratitude study conducted by Robert Emmons, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology Emeritus, University of California, Davis. Dr. Emmons studied 192 undergraduates divided into three groups. Depending on their group placement, students were asked to respond to a unique writing assignment 10 times over the course of a semester.
- Gratitude group: When thinking about this past week, write down five things you were grateful for.
- Hassle group: When thinking about this past day, write down five things that irritated you about work, relationships, money, school or anything else.
- Control group: Simply record events in your life.
The results? Students in the gratitude group on average rated their lives during the past week much higher than did the students in the other two groups. Same with their expectations for the week ahead. Strikingly, the gratitude group reported fewer symptoms of illness than did their peers in the other groups, and compared to the hassle group, they claimed to exercise 1.5 additional hours per week.
So this week (and every week!) I invite you to join me in attempting to focus on life's gifts and pleasures, even if some days it may feel like a struggle. Together, we're likely to experience better health and a greater sense of well-being. Gratitude is a powerful practice. I'll see you in the gratitude zone.
Thank you, and Happy Thanksgiving.
