“Praise the Lord, O my soul. And forget none of His acts of kindness." ~ Psalm 103:2
Procrastination is one of the main barriers to PhD
productivity. But the 27-year-old remained totally focused until she began
experiencing vision issues and, later, dizziness and numbness on her left side.
Because her father had a history of migraines, she thought hers might have a
genetic origin.
A routine MRI revealed
a type of brain tumor known as a glioma. This tumor often occurs near areas of
the brain that control body movement, language, or vision. After a 9-hour brain surgery to remove the tumor, her body began to slowly recover. Her
mental health, however, had taken a hit and she felt stuck in despair.
She found that
metaphor exhausting. She “didn’t want to spend over a year at war with her own
body.” She knew exactly what she needed – the gratitude tools she studied as
part of doctoral psychology studies but hadn’t yet put into practice.
“It’s common for us
not to practice these skills until we need to, ” Christina later explained. She
decided to put her research to the test to bolster her resilience and healing.
Christina began a
digital gratitude journal. Every morning, she began her day writing three
things she was thankful for and why. Specificity is a critical element of the
gratitude practice.
Her 500-page journal
is packed with words of appreciation for particular people, her doctors, or to
her body for being strong during her year-long recovery process. She
experienced firsthand that no matter how difficult the struggle, practicing
gratefulness can help people resist depression and “rewire our brains to help
build resilience.”
Christina Costa, PhD,
is now uniquely qualified to speak on the topics of gratitude and brain cancer.
As an assistant professor of psychology at Wayne State University, her courses
focus on human mental strength and toughness.
Her research along
with many scientific studies suggest that gratitude has mental, emotional, and
physical benefits that can positively affect those managing a difficult
diagnosis. She teaches students the importance of positivity and gives them
practical tools to use.
Costa’s powerful story
reminds us that practicing gratitude isn’t just something believers do out of
duty. Although it’s true that God deserves our gratitude, it’s also good for our
own well-being.
When we lift our
hearts up to say, “Praise You, Lord” (Psalm 103:2 above), we’re reminded of a
God who is not only a promise maker, but also a promise keeper. He promises to
work all things together for our good. There is no greater hope than one who
has conquered death.
