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It's one of the phrases you use most often, usually without thought. But just speaking two simple words can actually make you happier, healthier, and more energetic. In her new book, Thank You Power, Deborah Norville explains how saying "thank you" can yield those benefits—and many others.
Deborah has reason to be grateful. The two-time Emmy winner and anchor of the television news magazine Inside Edition has achieved that elusive balance between a thriving career and a rich family life with her husband, Karl Wellner, and their three children.
But Deborah's also had plenty of opportunities to practice gratitude during tough times. Her parents divorced when she was young, and her mother suffered from rheumatoid arthritis. Despite Deborah's difficult childhood, she graduated from college with a journalism degree and became the anchor of NBC News at Sunrise and a frequent substitute for hosts Bryant Gumbel and Jane Pauley on the Today show. But when NBC replaced Pauley with Deborah, viewers blamed her for destroying the beloved Gumble/Pauley partnership. Ratings declined, and Deborah lost her position.
Looking back, Deborah's thankful she doesn't hold a demanding job and has had time to host a radio program, act as a correspondent for a CBS newsmagazine, anchor Inside Edition, spend time with her family, and research and write Thank You Power. She credits her Christian faith for always helping her find reasons to be grateful.
Deborah recently spoke with TCW about how gratitude has changed her life.
What inspired you to write Thank You Power?
I'd always felt life went better when I focused consciously on the positive. But I wondered if I was just faking myself out like a kid who insists on wearing a certain jersey because he's always managed to score in it. So I decided to explore the simple question: Does counting your blessings have any quantifiable benefits?
What answers did you find?
One study, by Professor Robert Emmons from the University of California Davis, involved three test groups. One group focused on their blessings, another focused on negative events, and the third just focused on neutral facts such as "Today I washed the car."
Participants kept track of factors such as how much they exercised, how often they suffered from headaches or allergies, how well they slept. The results showed those who focused on blessings were more optimistic, more social, and more apt to help others. They even averaged an hour and a half more exercise each week than participants in the other two groups.
Do these results have a scientific explanation?
When you're feeling positive, dopamine—the feel-good neurotransmitter responsible for happiness—activates the cerebral cortex, the part of your brain where cognitive thinking happens. So not only will you feel good, but you'll be smarter, do better on tests, and improve your ability to negotiate and resolve the disputes you face daily with your spouse and children over doing homework or taking out the trash.
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