The little orange book caught my eye as I perused the "new arrivals" table in my favorite family bookstore. Gratitude: A Journal1 was the title. We all have those serendipitous moments when our attention is unexpectedly captured by something that can enlighten a dilemma, point us in the right direction, or bring us some peace. I am at that stage in my career where looking back is becoming more important than looking forward. Gratitude struck a chord, so I bought the book. The exercises and spaces for reflection solely are a means of self-care, self-responsibility, and caring for others.
None of us shapes our own careers. I am grateful, for example, to my mother's sister, an Army nurse in the second World War, for letting me wear her army issue nurse's hat and for reading Cherry Ames books to me. There was the high school English teacher, a nun, who reprimanded me for squandering gifts and talents that she claimed God gave to me. "God will be waiting to tell you that you did not apply yourself," she whispered in my ear one day. Sister Joseph taught me how to feel the "the fear of God." Gratefully, I am still trying.
The Director of Nursing in my first nursing staff position took a liking to me. Toward the end of my first year of employment, she sent me to take a test to get a "psychiatric nursing MSN traineeship." I did not know back then that master's degrees in nursing existed, but I had one in a year with her support and took my first university faculty position after she retired. There are so many more nurses, administrators, and colleagues from whom I have learned to teach, to manage, to work in teams, and to document the achievements and contributions of nursing whether in practice or academia and who gave me valuable feedback, letters of recommendation, reviewed my written work, and coached me through difficult situations.
Practicing gratitude is good for your health. The positive psychology movement has affirmed that the cultivation of gratitude can produce measurable psychological, interpersonal, and physical benefits.2 In addition to journaling, there are programs that encourage systematic self-reflection such as Naikan. Originating in Japan, Naikan, or "looking inside," poses 3 questions about our relationships with others: "What have I received?" "What have I given?" "What troubles and difficulties have I caused?"3 Repeatedly answering these questions with respect to different individuals or groups or even the most mundane of life's experiences reveals patterns of giving and receiving and difficulties that you may be repeatedly causing. The goal is insight, appreciating the stream of life, creating a path to change, and living a life infused with health promoting gratitude and ultimately happiness and health. "People who actively try to become more grateful in their everyday lives are happier-not to mention healthier-than those who don't."1(p3) It's simple-or is it?
-Gloria F. Donnelly, PhD, RN,
FAAN, FCPP
Editor in Chief
REFERENCES