The Quest for Emotional Wellness No. 10: Attentional Bias

Emotional well-being can be influenced by what you give the most attention concerning situation and environment. This has led behavioral scientist to believe that you can shift your mood by developing an “attentional bias” to those situations and environments that promote well-being. The research indicates that when individuals biased their attention toward positive situations and environmental factors in life they report a greater satisfaction in life. It might be important to note that emotional "ill-being" has an impact on all other dimensions of wellness as it may negatively influence mental health, physiological stability, neurobiological systems, and promote adverse cognitive changes.

Vital Life Stories!

from Jean Easterling LPN

We consider ourselves blessed and are daily thankful that we met and fell in love. Marty's daughter worked with me as an aide in another facility and decided we were made for each other. We had both been married before and each has children and grandchildren. I'm British-born, raised in Israel, and he is from Kentucky with that wonderful accent! We are probably an unlikely duo but chemistry conquered any differences. We had been together a couple of years when Marty developed a sore throat and cough, followed by a visible small lump. He had once been a heavy smoker and had quit cold-turkey 16 years previously when his young son on the way to church, begged him to quit. Marty had no medical insurance at the time but never was any doctor or treatment denied him. In fact, he has always had the best of care and arrangements made for monthly payments. He was soon given an endoscopy, which showed a mass on the back of his tongue. He was sent to Ohio State for a second opinion, and after various tests was told he had stage 1 cancer. Options for treatment were offered and we went with the radiation and chemo combo. It has now been three years and Marty, at his regular checkups at Ohio State is still cancer free. Chemo leaves its own effects but overall we are very thankful to God and to the caring doctors involved in his care. Marty always says and shows how much he loves me but he always credits my love and optimism for inspiring him and keeping his spirits up. I consider myself blessed for having Marty in my life and sharing life and love with him. And now we are both working at St. Leonard and are thankful for a good place to work. May God bless you all, Jean Easterling LPN