Gratitude is not just saying a bland thank you.
The minute I speak about gratitude, the kids would jump up pointing out that they’ve said thank you to so and so, and then again to someone else.
I’m not counting the thank-yous, nor am I asking for any count.
Gratitude has a larger, more encompassing meaning. It’s about being conscious of your actions and being mindful. It about cultivating a deeper awareness of your actions and they affect others.
Like you appreciating your colleague stepping in during a difficult time or your neighbour helping you out with the groceries or something.
It’s only when you’re fully aware of yourself will you be in a position to appreciate others.
Being grateful is acknowledging the part others’ play in your life. It has the power to heal your heart and mind, and spread positivity.
It’s like that ordinary diffuser in the room that lets out small bursts of perfume every now and then to make the room smell nice.
3 Steps to Foster Gratitude
- Make Practicing Gratitude A Daily Habit:
What you need is a few quiet reflective moments. You decide the time when it’s convenient to you – mornings (before you’re distracted with the work and routine stuff), or when you’re driving to work, or maybe at the end of the day before hitting the bed.
All you’ve to do is think of 2 or 3 things that you’re grateful for. And they need not even be from that specific day.
Or, you can start maintaining a gratitude journal. Write a few lines daily, reflecting on the positives and being grateful for them. It can be anything – a kind word or gesture, or the morning sky, or the sight of children playing in the park.
Start a gratitude ritual. Get the family to practice expressing gratitude. Let them decide on one act during the day that they feel grateful about and speak about it. This creates deeper sense of awareness in them.
- Teach Children About Gratitude:
This is essential because they’re becoming more and more self-obsessed. Being grateful will shift their attention from ‘Self’ to the others around them. Like, when a teacher puts in extra effort to explain something to them or a classmate shared their lunch box with them because they forgot to take theirs.
They’ve to acknowledge the presence of others and their contribution in their lives.
The bus doesn’t drive itself to school, the lunch box doesn’t pack itself, the clothes don’t wash themselves, the gifts or wants don’t pay for themselves. You get the point, right?
Keep a gratitude jar where each family member can drop one note of gratitude for any family member or someone else.
It’s more of an acceptance and being aware of it that is more important.
- Find Practical Ways to Practice Gratitude:
Being grateful improves your relationships. It shows that you’re mindful of the other persons efforts.
By getting the kids to practice gratitude you’re helping them build on their empathy, compassion, understanding and respect. It will strengthen the bonds and make them more meaningful.
You can encourage kids to write thank you notes for gifts they receive or for a favour someone did.
You can also get the kids to volunteer for different social causes. This will give them a chance to see what they have. It’ll make them appreciate and feel grateful.
Show them that gratitude is not restricted to the material possessions. They can appreciate the small things, like the warmth of the sun, a big hug from a parent or friend, the beautiful night sky; anything that makes them feel nice and happy.
Conclusion
Gratitude shows how fortunate you’re to get the opportunity to experience all the small joys in life.
Children need to understand this to grow into mindful adults. It will develop their emotional intelligence along with other aspects of their personality.
It’ll boost their mood, create a positive environment around them, make deeper connections with peers, family and others, and most importantly, create a ripple of good vibes wherever they go.
Totally worth it, don’t you think?
