Count The Blessings: Article by Zunaira Waheed

When was the last time you were thankful for the many things you’re blessed with?

A professor once surprised his class with a test. As the students waited anxiously he passed the papers with the text faced down as always. The students turned their papers to reveal a black dot on the page. The students looked up confused; He instructed them to write about what they could see on the page.  Now even more confused the students hurried to accomplish the assignment they had been given. At the end of the class the professor read each of their answers. Each student talked about the black dot and its position on the paper.

 

The professor looked up at the class having read every paper and said I’m not going to grade you on this; I just want to tell you something. He continued to talk about how none of the students talked about the white part of the paper instead focusing on the black dot. The same thing happens in our lives. There are so many reasons for us to celebrate life yet we choose to focus on the dark spots in life instead of having a different perspective and thinking about the positives. The dark spots can easily spoil our minds. Each black spot brings a different new opportunity. Enjoy each moment of these new opportunities that life gives you.

In tough times like today’s most of us tend to forget to be thankful. We wake up agitated at the fact that we can’t go watch a movie with our friends, or go out for dinner. We even wake up annoyed that we can’t go to school even though we complained about it every morning. It was a habit, It was a cycle we were adapted to, It definitely makes sense that we miss it. Instead of being frustrated about the things we don’t have, we have to remember to be thankful for the things we do have.

Be thankful to the people in your life who make you smile, support you and bring you joy. Be thankful that today you woke up in your bed with a roof over your head, you have food and you’re healthy. There’s a quote by Alphonse Karr, “Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns; I am thankful that thorns have roses.”

In a time like this you can either grumble about the social gatherings you’re missing or you can be thankful for the time you have to learn new skills and explore new opportunities. So what if you can’t go out for a movie, you can watch that movie at home and bond with your family. And yes, you can’t see your friends, but in today’s world, we have technology which we should be thankful for. You can simply face time your friends. Instead of going out for dinner, you can learn to cook your favorite dish. And the only reason we miss going to school is because know we have hours of free rime with nothing to do.

 

 

There are so many things we can do at home, spend time with your family. It’s hard to keep up with school and spend time with your family, but now is your chance. You can learn so many things, Have you ever wanted to try art? Now is chance. Have you ever wanted to write a book? There is no better time than right now. Of course It’s totally ok if you spend some if this time to just relax sit back and watch your favorite Netflix show or reread your favorite novel.

Gratitude has many benefits, some have been scientifically proven.

 

1. Being grateful opens the door to more relationships

Not only is saying “Thank you” good manners but it can also help you win new friends.  By saying thank you to someone in your life that makes an effort to help you, you could not only create a bond with that person but even make their day.

 

 2. Gratitude improves physical health.

It has been scientifically proven that grateful people experience fewer aches and pains. Unsurprisingly they are more likely to take care of their health. They exercise more often and are likely to attend regular checkups with their doctor.

 

3. Gratitude improves psychological health.

Gratitude reduces a multitude of toxic emotions ranging from envy and resentment to frustration and regret. Many researchers have confirmed that gratitude increases happiness and decreases depression.

 

4. Grateful people sleep better

A 2011 study proves that if you take 15 minutes before bed to write down things you’re grateful for, you’ll sleep better.

 

5. Gratitude improves self-esteem

Studies have shown that gratitude reduces social comparisons. Rather than becoming resentful toward people who have more money or better jobs grateful people are able to appreciate other people’s accomplishments.

 

I’m going to conclude by saying; you have so many things in life to be grateful for. Be grateful and enjoy each moment in life by focusing on the positives and by focusing on the positives, you can learn new skills, and build your character.

 

 

Zunaira Waheed is a student of grade 9. She loves Creative Writing and learning Public Speaking and Debating. She is a member of ANA Gavel Club, the part of International Toastmasters.