As Thanksgiving approaches, we often hear about trying to be thankful, and are reminded to remember our blessings. Individuals who suffer from anxiety disorders often find it hard to focus on the blessings and see instead what they lack, mistakes made, or potential upcoming problems.
In general, if we think about living in California and specifically Orange County, most of us are blessed by much: pleasant weather, good public education, general safety. There are also many other blessings we don’t think about such as free clean drinking water.
There is a Jewish tradition of 100 “brachot” or “blessings” daily. Built into prayers, the tradition is to say 100 blessings throughout the day. While it can be done rote, if one attempts this in a deliberate manner it can be much more meaningful. The first dozen or two are easy: health, spouses, friends. I found that it gets interesting after that: shoes that fit well and are comfortable, the technology that allows me to speak with friends in New York, the breeze I feel as I step out of my office. I found it hard to be worried or regretful when I focused on the blessings given to me.
Perhaps the next time you find yourself anxious and if the worries aren’t real, perhaps you can try literally counting your blessings.