Take Time To Be Thankful

From Snohomish County Advocate Cathy Hix

I want to take a moment to share a little about myself. I have a morning routine. Checking Facebook is a part of that routine. As Thanksgiving approaches, I ALWAYS see the same redundant, sometimes irritating posts. “I’m thankful for my new pair of boots” or “I’m thankful Wrap It (a wrap that, I guess, can make you lose weight) came into my life”. These are real posts on my page I took from real friends. I look at these posts and think, seriously??!?! It all seems so materialistic and pointless. I have to then take a moment to remember not everyone works in the world of advocacy. I see, hear, smell, and breathe the worst of the worst on a daily basis. I see families torn apart due to permanent injuries from assault, and bear witness to tears I can never dry. So, when I want to respond to the Facebook posts and say something that might lead people to “unfriending me”, I stop and smile because it’s wonderful to see people that are thankful, no matter the circumstances.

I bring this up because I have seen over and over when someone is victimized, whether it be an assault, theft, or murder; it is hard to be thankful. I’m not saying that it is not present, but things that seemed to matter before are trivial and pointless now. Joy has a tendency to be replaced with anger, contempt and fear. Victimization is the hardest thing ANYONE has to face. It can be difficult to remember that the world can be, and still is, a good place. So, instead of looking at my computer and saying my friends are stupid, I take a breath, smile and remember I need to be thankful as well.

Taking a moment to be thankful can do wonders for your emotional well-being. Numerous scientific studies have shown that positive self-talk can transform thought patterns in your brain. Though it’s not clear as to what extent this occurs, it has been found that the types of words we use can alter expectations and even our perceptions of reality. So, even if all you can conjure up in the morning is to say, “I’m thankful to be given another day” over time, your stress and self-worth will be better off. Why not start now as we are approaching Thanksgiving? I challenge each and every one of you to be thankful for at least 30 seconds a day. So, we will begin with me.

Today I’m thankful to be an advocate with Families and Friends and share a part of myself with you as you have done so many times with me.

Call Our 24-Hour Crisis Line

Speak with a trained advocate who can provide assistance with needs resulting from victimization. Call by clicking below!

GET HELP

Testimonials

"With the help of VSS, you are empowered and encouraged to fight back and be pro-active. Then your conscience can be more at peace because you know you have taken some action to protest crimes inflicted on your loved one. It is sometimes your only consolation."

“The one takeaway for me in working with VSS is that it is a necessary organization. I know they are funded by grants and fundraisers but it’s something we need to make sure as a community that they have the funding needed because what they do for people in need doesn’t happen anywhere else. This is the only place that this happens and VSS helps with so many things.”

David Rose

Anchor, Q13 News and Host, Washington’s Most Wanted

“VSS is there when the unthinkable happens. When a police officer knocks on your door and gives you tragic news, VSS helps navigate the court system, which can be very confusing. VSS is compassion, caring, and commitment. Commitment to once justice is done that victims and their families can move forward with their lives.”

Jennifer Gregerson

Mayor, City of Mukilteo

“VSS has been our partner in recovery and healing and a key part in what makes Mukilteo Strong. VSS has been a trusted advocate for the victims that have suffered so much in the community. I’m so grateful to VSS as our partner in strength.”

Jon Nehring

Mayor, City of Marysville

“VSS is there for people in their darkest hour. At a time when they need an advocate and friend, VSS steps in to fill that gap and help them begin their journey back to some sense of normalcy.”

Myrle Carner

Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound

“This thing about closure. There is never really closure in a victim’s life but VSS helps individuals to get closer to that and that’s critical because the cops and the judicial system just move on to another case because they don’t have time. Victims live with this trauma forever so VSS is with them for as long as they need the services. VSS takes the time, more importantly, they really care."

Facebook Feed

[fts_facebook type=page id=113587341909 access_token=EAAP9hArvboQBAHoe4nkFWCSABhF1LZBuKCFYZCDIMTvIGD13O9FIq4ykkGGbhGCLJSVUgHrGIHZCJ6IwPwwd5XwdD1DigHSFTMnmU9fL0d84C8OMMtidvDkW2hQmrLv98AvjhfbZAenryR8bvgURy6M9pLpcAWGwrA9kWA7pAgZDZD posts=2 title=yes title_align=center description=no words=45 popup=no posts_displayed=page_only images_align=center]