I completed a follow-up session for an Adult-Ed brain-injury class yesterday, topic of which was Freedom From Worry. We spent an hour and a half last month talking about stress, and I gave them homework, which was to breathe deeply when they notice they are stressed (count to 4 as you inhale, count to 6 as you exhale, in sets of ten or so). The second homework assignment was to write down one thing they were grateful for each day.
The change in the group was palpable, and noticeable to teachers as well as students. The thing that prompted me to write this morning was several students were startled at how many things they have to be grateful for, even though they have vastly different lives than prior to their injuries. And one woman told us she was certain she is now a better person from the transition the injury has caused. The introspecion and generosity of this group was amazing. And they are now much more easily equipped to look inward for peace of mind and resilience.