The Doctor's Opinion:  An Opportunity for Gratitude 

What We Can Learn from The California Wildfire Disaster.  

Dr. Leslie Beth Wish

The California blaze ate up houses faster than piranhas devour prey.

Yes, the rich and famous have more resources for recovery, but spiritual renewal is available to all survivors. Their thanks for being alive and having family and friends are not charred, and if we news-watchers are lucky, we can learn from their perspective.

With the holidays nearing, here is a Gratitude Guide to help us ward off depression, loss and social isolation - feelings that often accompany both healing from disasters and managing the unintended consequences of the holiday season.

A Gratitude Guide for the Holidays and New Year:

• Send e-cards or snail-mail cards to friends, family and long-lost others.  Use the New Years to explain why you have reconnected with them.

•  Volunteer for something meaningful to you.

• Compliment someone—especially your least favorite relatives.

• Go through your closets and give away things you and your family don’t need.

• Make a list of the good things in your life.

• Change one very small and manageable part of your behavior that you’ve needed to change but didn’t because of your fear and lack of resolve. 

• Write down your positive qualities.

Dr. LeslieBeth Wish is both a psychologist and clinical social worker. She is a nationally recognized and is frequently called upon by major media to provide expert opinion based on her work with families and women. Visit her website and take part in her research project for her next research-based book about the relationship problems and dating patterns of today's strong & successful women.

Dr. Wish was a featured guest author in the original NoNiche magazine and writes a monthly column, Your Abundant Relationship, which is syndicated from the [beta] network at Network Abundance.

November 24, 2008  by Network Abundance Publications