Gratitude

The feel good feeling we feel, such as joy and thankfulness, when we receive an acknowledgement for doing a good job, receive a gift, words of encouragements such as “you got this!,” looking forward to a book to read, or admiring a breathtaking landscape.

Learning and practicing to give gratitude helps calm our thinking or help to slow down our brains. Taking a few moments to focus on experiences in our lives we are grateful for helps us gain perspective, make better decisions, and help us focus on the positive things in life.

Giving your peers, family members, friends, teachers, coaches, teammates etc. words of encouragement, acknowledgement of something they did or appreciation for an accomplishment, not only makes them feel good but helps you feel good!

PRACTICING GRATITUDE

1. What do you appreciate about your mom?
2. What do you appreciate about your dad?
3. What do you appreciate about your grandparents?
4. What do you appreciate about your brother and/or sisters?
5. What are you grateful for today?
6. What do you appreciate about yourself?
7. What food are you grateful for?
8. Add In Your Own

Gratitude Journal

Everyday write down 10 things you are grateful for when you wake up in the morning and before you go to bed at night. You can make your gratitude journal out of paper, use a previous notebook, keep them in a folder, write them down on your phone, a piece of paper, write them on sticky notes and put them in places you will see every day.  

Every day the whole family shares one thing they wrote down.

Whenever you are feeling anxious, angry or having a hard time focusing grab your gratitude journal and read through it.

Gratitude Journal Ideas:

1. Printable – Daily Gratitude themes (Pinterest)
2. How to Start a Gratitude Journal with Kids 
3. Printable journal prompt 
4. 10 Ways Gratitude Improves your happiness