Gratitudinalness & Paraenesis

On this day of highlighting and celebrating thankfulness, we are reminded that neuroscience is showing us, more and more, the efficacy of gratitude for our brains and well-being. As we’ve said in this forum many times, if you write down just three things you’re thankful for everyday, you will literally rewire your brain in just 21 days!

The latest scientific study I read (passed along to me by my good friend “JV”) said not to worry if you can’t find something to be thankful for. Research has now shown that the mere searching for something to be thankful for releases dopamine and causes neural pathways to fire and wire toward more happiness.

So for us underachievers, this is even better news! All we have to do is make an attempt to find something for which we are thankful, and our brain will take us to a better place even if we can’t think of something.

Life just got a little easier.

All we really do here in this medium is remind each other of the truth, of what we already know, and (mostly) agree upon. Ergo the fancy word you see up above–“Paraenesis.” I just discovered this rich word via a lecture, and the instructor said it’s a reminding of what you already know. Or another definition I saw was “an amicable reminder of moral practices entailed by agreed-upon convictions.”

Those Greeks. Such meaningful words they have.

Is not this what The Ripple Effect is mostly about?

Paraenesis.

As C.S. Lewis wisely said, “We need to be constantly reminded of what we believe.”

Reminder of the day: BE THANKFUL AT ALL TIMES!!!!

And also remember– I love you.