5 Ways to Grow Gratitude
There are a LOT of reasons to start a gratitude practice in your own life, and to model one for your children.
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Having a gratitude practice has been linked to many positive outcomes.
From improved relationships, better physical health, reduced depression and anxiety, enhanced empathy, reduced aggression, to better sleep, increased resilience and improved work performance.
Try starting a gratitude practice in your own life, and modeling one for your children.
Cultivating gratitude in our children balances the many challenges we all face, and helps to promote connected, grounded and involved citizens in our communities. On the other hand, we sometimes fall into a trap of forcing a feeling of gratitude in our children and this is not something we can force.
Gratitude takes patience. The benefits of a gratitude practice expand over time, unlike many of the quick fix or feel good solutions we usually turn to.
Effects of gratitude occur in the prefrontal cortex, and make us more sensitive to emotional connectivity and relationships with others.
Here are 5 quick ways to build a sense of gratitude with your children:
Model saying "thank you" and help your child to thank others in whatever way they feel comfortable. Write thank you notes, make cards, send videos to show others you are grateful for them.
Use the phrase “I really appreciate” when noticing acts for which you are grateful.
Play the rose/thorn/bud game at the dinner table. For the rose, name one sweet part of the day. For the thorn, name one challenge. For the bud, name one thing you are excited for or are looking forward to.
Volunteer in your community. Find an opportunity to help others and discuss how that act adds value to your own life and a sense of purpose.
Create a gratitude journal that you fill out on holidays or special occasions. This can be a gratitude tree for Thanksgiving or a birthday gratitude journal. Have each family member participate and read the entries from the year before.
Gratitude practices can start small.
Consistency is the key to helping make lasting change in your family, so keep it simple and easy for you to work into everyday life. Avoid labels like “spoiled” in your own home, and focus instead on feeling appreciative for what you have and what surrounds you.
Moments of gratitude don’t have to be big, they have to be genuine.
Let your children feel grateful for whatever comes naturally to them, and don’t judge. Remember that your goal is to inspire your children into building this muscle, not force them into it.
Warmly,
Thanks for being a part of Raising Good Humans. We are in this together.