AQuestionofFocus“Itappearsthatthewaypeopleperceivetheworldismuchmoreimportanttohappinessthanobjectivecircumstances.”

EdDienerEmotionsdeterminedbyexternalandinternalChoiceoffocus“Tothedifferentminds,thesameworldisahell,andaheaven.” RalphWaldoEmerson

“Nothingisgoodorbadbutthinkingmakesitso.”

WilliamShakespeare

TwoArchetypesTheFault-Finder“Thefault-finderwillfindfaultseveninparadise”

HenryDavidThoreauCouldleadtoresignationTheBenefit-Finder(Bower,2007)CouldleadtodetachmentTheneedtorespectreality“Theinvariablemarkofwisdomistoseethemiraculousinthecommon.”

RalphWaldoEmerson

WeCo-CreateOurReality“Nowhoweverfixedtheseelementsofrealitymaybe,westillhaveacertainfreedominourdealingswiththem.Takeoursensations.Thattheyareisundoubtedlybeyondourcontrol;butwhichweattendto,note,andmakeemphaticinourconclusionsdependsonourowninterests;and,accordingaswelaytheemphasishereorthere,quitedifferentformulationsoftruthresult.Wereadthesamefactsdifferently.‘Waterloo,’withthesamefixeddetails,spellsa‘victory’foranenglishman;forafrenchmanitspellsa‘defeat.’So,foranoptimistphilosophertheuniversespellsvictory,forapessimist,defeat.Whatwesayaboutrealitythusdependsontheperspectiveintowhichwethrowit.” WilliamJamesWeCo-CreateOurRealityIsn’titstrangehowprincesandkings,

andclownsthatcaperinsawdustrings,

andcommonpeople,likeyouandme,

arebuildersforeternity?Eachisgivenalistofrules;

ashapelessmass;abagoftools.

Andeachmustfashion,erelifeisflown,

Astumblingblock,oraStepping-Stone. R.L.SharpAMatterofInterpretation“Neverletagoodcrisisgotowaste.” AnneHarbison“Thingsdon’tnecessarilyhappenforthebest,butsomepeopleareabletomakethebestofthingsthathappen.”AMatterofInterpretation“Apessimistseesthedifficultyineveryopportunity;anoptimistseestheopportunityineverydifficulty.” WinstonChurchillAQuestionofInterpretationTheworldaccordingtothefault-finderThe(same)worldaccordingtothebenefit-finderTheBenefitsofBeingaBenefitFinderWell-being(Thompson,1985)HealthAfflecketal.(1987)Bower(1998)King&Miner(2000)Longevity“Thejoyfulnessofamanprolongethhisdays.”

EcclesiastesTheNunStudy(Danneretal.,2001)Onlypositivefeelingspredictedlongevity“Godstartedmylifeoffwellbybestowinguponmegraceofinestimablevalue...ThepastyearwhichIspentasacandidatestudyingatNotreDamehasbeenaveryhappyone.NowIlookforwardwitheagerjoytoreceivingtheHolyHabitofOurLadyandtoalifeofunionwithLoveDivine.”

CeliaO’Payne“IwasbornonSeptember26,1909,theeldestofsevenchildren,fivegirlsandtwoboys...Mycandidateyearwasspentinthemother-house,teachingchemistryandsecondyearLatinatNotreDameInstitute.WithGod’sgrace,IintendtodomybestforourOrder,forthespreadofreligionandformypersonalsanctification.”

MargueriteDonnellyTheNunStudy(Danneretal.,2001)OnlypositivefeelingspredictedlongevityAge85: 90%ofmostcheerfulquartilealive; 34%ofleastcheerfulquartilealive.Age94: 54%ofmostcheerfulquartilealive; 11%ofleastcheerfulquartilealiveGetReal!TheworldaccordingtothemediaGetReal!TheworldaccordingtothemediaMediabiasmagnifyingglassratherthanlookingglassaccentuatingthenegative(magnifying)under-representingthepositive(minimizing)GetReal!TheworldaccordingtothemediaMediabiasmagnifyingglassratherthanlookingglassaccentuatingthenegativeunder-representingthepositiveWhoisreallydetached?Focusingonthe90%fullpartoftheglassFocuscreatesrealityAppreciatingAppreciationCreatingagrowthspiralGenuineappreciation!ThereisalwayssomethingtoappreciateAp-pre’ci-atev.,1.Valuing;theactofrecognizingthebestinpeopleortheworldaroundus,affirmingpastandpresentstrengthsandpotentials;toperceivethosethingsthatgivelife(health,vitality,excellence)tolivingsystems.2.Toincreaseinvalue,e.g.,theeconomyhasappreciatedinvalue.“Whatyoufocusonexpands,andwhenyoufocusonthegoodnessinyourlife,youcreatemoreofit.Opportunities,relationships,evenmoneyflowedmywaywhenIlearnedtobegratefulnomatterwhathappenedinmylife.”

OprahWinfreyCorrectingtheFalseSchema:NewsCorrectingtheFalseSchema:ArtJanVermeerCorrectingtheFalseSchema:ArtLudwigvanBeethovenCorrectingtheFalseSchema:ArtCorrectingtheFalseSchema:ArtDavidKnowlesSandraJ.ShawCorrectingtheFalseSchema:StudiesAdaptationWearechangedetectorsChangedetectionhelpfulincaseofdangerAdaptationhelpstoovercomedifficultiesTakingthingsforgrantedEatingthecakeandleavingitwhole?Mustsomethingexternalandextraordinaryhappenbeforewelearntoappreciatetheordinary?LearningtobeGrateful“Yousaygracebeforemeals.Allright.ButIsaygracebeforetheconcertandtheopera,andgracebeforetheplayandpantomime,andgracebeforeIopenabook,andgracebeforesketching,painting,swimming,fencing,boxing,walking,playing,dancing,andgracebeforeIdipthepenintheink.”“Gratitudeproducedthemostpurelyjoyfulmomentsthathavebeenknowntoman.” G.K.Chesterton“Whynotstartbysurveyingatypicalday?Whatisityoutendtotacklewithspontaneousmindfulness,sothatwithoutaneffortyourwholeheartisinit?Maybeit’sthatfirstcupofcoffeeinthemorning,thewayitwarmsyouandwakesyouup,ortakingyourdogforawalk,orgivingalittlechildapiggybackride[Itis]amatterofpractice,ofdoingitoverandoveragain,tillitbecomessecondnature.”“Gratefulnessisthemeasureofouraliveness.Arewenotdeadtowhateverwetakeforgranted?Surelytobenumbistobedead.”ResearchonGratitudeEmmonsandMcCullough(2002)Fourgroups:gratitude,hassles,superior,controlPsychologicalandhealthbenefitsPhysiologicalbenefits(McCraty&Childre2004)BenefitsoftraitgratefulnessMaintainingfreshnessWeekly?(Lyubomirsky,2008)VarietyMinfulness(Langer,1989)Visualize(Kosslyn,2005)TryIt!Becomingabenefit-finder21daysoryourmoneybackChippingawaynegativityThanksforremindingme…Co-creatingrealitywithquestionsGratitudetoOthers(Seligman,2005)TaketimetoreflectLetter,phone,orin-personLargestboostinwellbeingRegularly(weekly,bi-weeklyormonthly)WritinghelpsevenifletternotsentWorstandHappiestExperiences(Lyubomirskyetal.2006)Writing,Talking,orThinkingMentalandphysicalhealthmeasuresAnalyzingversusreplaying(study3)Worst(Study1)Happiest(Study2)WritingPositiveOutcomeNegativeOutcomeTalkingPositiveOutcomeNegativeOutcomeThinkingNegativeOutcomePositiveOutcome“Weliveina‘given’world...Whatbringsfulfillmentisgratefulness,thesimpleresponseofourhearttothisgivenlifeinallitsfullness.” BrotherDavidSteindl-Rast“Toliveanddieingratefulness,ifinnoothervirtue.”

GalwayKinnel“Gratitudeisnotonlythegreatestofvirtues,buttheparentofallothers”. CiceroTheMoralityofGratitude“Iwonderedhowitwaspossibletowalkforanhourthroughthewoodsandseenothingofnote.Iwhocannotseefindhundredsofthings:thedelicatesymmetryofaleaf,thesmoothskinofasilverbirch,therough,shaggybarkofapine.Iwhoamblindcangiveonehinttothosewhosee:useyoureyesasiftomorrowyouwillhavebeenstrickenblind.Hearthemusicofvoices,thesongsofabird,themightystrainsofanorchestraasifyouwouldbestrickendeaftomorrow.Toucheachobjectasiftomorrowyourtactilesensewouldfail.Smelltheperfumeofflowers,tastewithrelisheachmorsel,asiftomorrowyoucouldnevertasteorsmellagain.Makethemostofeverysense.Gloryinallthefacetsandpleasuresandbeautywhichtheworldrevealstoyou.” HellenKellerFinalProject20-30minutePresentat