How to REALLY be Grateful!

Do you have an attitude of gratitude? Do you notice all the things you have to be grateful for? I mean…ALL THE THINGS. Well, I’ve got 3 questions for you to consider when thinking about gratitude.

1. Are you grateful for the little things?
2. Do you intentionally acknowledge your gratitude?
3. Do you express or share your gratitude?

Let’s dig in deep today, because I am a firm believer that daily gratitude practice can and will shift your perspective on all of life’s obstacles and blessings. And let’s be honest…now more than ever, we need to have a positive perspective.

Question #1

Are you grateful for the little things?

Sure, we can be thankful for the big stuff: we have food to eat, our health, our family, a roof over our head, all the big things.

But do you think about all the little things that bring you joy. Do you think about the beautiful leaves changing color, the sound of your kids laughing together, that first sip of coffee in the morning, one on one time with your kids…and the list goes on. It’s different for each of us.

Question #2

Do you intentionally acknowledge your gratitude?

Do you make an effort to acknowledge the things that you are grateful for? Do you take time daily to write down your gratitude? If you do not have a daily gratitude practice, I challenge you to do so!

How to find time for daily gratitude.

I personally love to start my day off with a daily gratitude practice. I think the beginning of the day is best because I’m the first one up (so there are no interruptions) and once I get started with my day…I honestly forget.

Here is what I do…I stumble downstairs still half asleep, start my coffee, and while it’s brewing I sit with a notebook and write 5 things that I am grateful for (I try to write things that happened or things that I noticed from the previous day.)

Once you’ve written down 5 things you are grateful for…DON’T STOP THERE. You can take time to meditate on these things or voice them…yes, actually say them! I personally take time to pray over these things. I voice my gratitude to God. I thank him for providing the things that bring me joy each day.

I also use this morning time to make a to do list of all that I want to get accomplished that day. I actually list out my day hour by hour…lol. I know, call me crazy, but it keeps me focused on what was important to get done. It helps me keep first things, first.

This whole process takes me 10 min. It’s 10 minutes of my day that just got started. There are no other distractions…just me, my coffee, my notebook, and God! It’s my favorite part of the day! (Well…I do love bedtime…lol!)

Maybe morning isn’t best for you…find the time that works best for you. Find time with no distractions so that you can focus on your gratitude.

Question #3

Do you express your gratitude?

It’s easy to be grateful! Especially when you set aside time to write it down. However, expressing it is a bit more difficult. For me, thanking God is easy…I do it every morning as part of my morning routine. But expressing my gratitude to people is not something that I often think about.

Simple ways to express your gratitude to others:

• Write a Card – you can send a letter or a card to somebody to tell them how grateful you are. Be specific. Thank them for the specific thing that they did in which you were grateful for.
• Say it in the moment – When somebody does something that fills your love tank or brings you joy, TELL THEM! RIGHT THEN AND THERE…TELL THEM YOU ARE GRATEFUL FOR IT! For example, there are certain people in my life that give the best hugs. I’m sure they know who they are, because I’ve told them time and time again. You see, hugs are so important to me…I’m a hugger! But these people that I speak of, I’ve told them that I love their hugs. I expressed my gratitude by simply saying to them, “I love your hugs, they mean so much to me.”
• Share your Gratitude – There are times when your gratitude is toward situations or things that cannot be thanked. For example: that first sip of coffee in the morning. One way to share your gratitude in these situations is to share it with those around you. Let me explain, I love the beach…everything about it…the sand, the sound of the waves, the smell of the air. Every year when we go to the beach I take a walk with my kids and I say to them, “I am so grateful for the beach. Can you believe that God made all of this for us to enjoy? Because of this beach we can relax and have fun together and for that I am grateful!” You see sharing it with my kids shows them how to be grateful.
• Pay if Forward – When somebody does something for you that you are grateful for…you pay it forward. This can mean doing something kind in return or it can mean just paying it forward to others. But when you feel grateful, remember the Golden Rule: Do unto others, as you want them to do unto you!

Resources for Gratitude Practice:

Journals

There are lots of products out there to help you be intentional about gratitude. You don’t have to go out and buy a fancy gratitude journal. You can just use a spiral notebook and date the page and start writing. I personally just use a notebook that I got at the dollar tree. I’m also keeping a picture journal. I take one picture each day of something I’m grateful for! It will be fun to look back on each month and at the end of the year.

Gratitude Resources that I Love

OR

Gratitude Lesson from Pastor Leah Pursley, click here!

Teachers and Parents

Are you being intentional about implementing gratitude practice in your daily plans with your kids? Let them see you taking part in daily gratitude and assist them in doing the same! Why not teach them young to have a healthy positive perspective.

Ideas for implementing gratitude practice with your kids at home or at school:

• Gratitude Wall – let your students or kids write on a graffiti wall, bulletin board, or chalkboard whenever they feel grateful for something.
• Daily Writing Journal – let your writing journal be a place for your students to write down their gratitude.
• Mrs. Mengeu’s Book of Gratitude– This is a notebook that is shared by the class. When students are done early with their work they can grab the notebook and share someone or something they are grateful for. This can be fun to read aloud and it’s a great way to create a positive classroom environment.
• Morning Work – While you students come in to the classroom and get unpacked, or while your kids are logging in to their virtual classrooms have them draw or write in a daily gratitude journal.
• End of the day/ Before Bed – reflect on the day by looking for things they were grateful for. Simply say, “Tell me something great that happened today!” You will see that your kids will give you more details when you ask them this way.

Ok friends, there you have it! Go and be Grateful!

I am grateful for all of my friends who follow my journey on this blog. Thank you so much for believing in me and supporting me as I share my experiences as a elementary teacher and mom. I look forward to Being Their Difference together with you! Let’s BE the difference!!!

TAKE ACTION: This week find time each day to do the following: write down 5 things you are grateful for each day, meditate or pray about them, and express and share your gratitude to others.

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Enjoy Being Their Difference,