by: Bryant Lopez “Picture two people, one person doesn’t have a lot, very few coins in their pocket goes hungry often, take another person who is very well off has everything they need and their belly is full all the time if they are offered a free meal do you think it will have the same meaning for both of them and if not why?” This is the question posed by Professor John Giaimo of Health, Wellness, and Personal Counseling at Bergen.
On April 14, members of the Health, Wellness, and Personal Counseling center, Bergen’s Culinary Department, and the Office of Student Life and Student Activity Board gathered together to present Leadership Through Resilience lunch in. The speakers of the lunch were Professors John Giaimo, Jessica Peacock, and Lois Carmichael. They discussed how to show gratitude throughout your daily life.
Peacock stated that gratitude is subjective and contextual to people. “The person who is very well off and rich their humble beginnings may dictate a different outcome of perception that food is given versus someone who really is in need of food.” That we all have our own perception of gratitude
Professor Carmichael stated that gratitude falls under positive psychology. “It’s developing new habits, that can foster a meaningful life, it can foster the good life, it can foster a pleasant life.” Developing gratitude can result in a happier life, better relationships, and better success in your life. The group also talks about how gratefulness and gratitude mitigate depression.
Giaimo stated that we have to practice gratitude in order to achieve gratitude. One way Carmichael stated we can do that is by not always looking for the grand thing to be grateful for but it can be something small like a cup of coffee in the morning. “What that does is it releases Endorphins …” This is a group of hormones that both relieves pain and creates a general feeling of well-being.
Being able to reflect and practicing mindfulness is another way a person can look for gratitude. “Being in the moment and clearing out the clutter in our lives,” stated Giamio. When we think negative often this can create a habit of negative thinking. Being able to practice mindfulness can shows the thing that we can be grateful for.
When it comes to gratefulness “there are barriers to getting there,” Peacock mentioned. The journey, “is a messy one, one that we are constantly growing at, there are days that I fail at it, there are days that suck, it is all within reason,” Peacock stated.
