Iroquois Prayer of Thanks
We return thanks to our mother, the earth,
which sustains us.
We return thanks to the rivers and streams,
which supply us with water. Read more
Teaching Children Gratitude Part 2
Helping the children in our lives to express appreciation from an early age is a gift that will bring them abundance throughout their lives.
In Part 1 of this blog, we discussed nature as a doorway to nurturing appreciation in children. Here, we will talk more about care, affection and compliments as other gratitude practices.
Care is an Important Aspect of Appreciation
- Help your child take care of their things.
- Teach them to respect their belongings and the property of others.
- Demonstrate an attitude of thankfulness for what you have and for your life together.
- Acknowledgements, celebrations and shared reflection are simple ways to express your gratitude. Read more
Teaching Gratitude To Children Part 1
The word “appreciation” means really seeing something for what it is- an awareness of how special, how lucky, how unique, how blessed, how big, wonderful or awesome something is. Appreciation is a recognition not based on comparison, but based on the intrinsic value, character or immensity of a thing or state itself.
Some people are born “appreciators”. These people see the world at its essence:
- the beauty of a sunset
- the fragile green of a leaf
- the boundless energy of a small child
Others must be helped to learn to see the beauty and wonder in the world. Read more
5 Ways To Practice Gratitude
Just like exercising and eating right, getting into a regular habit of being grateful is a discipline but one well worth the effort. Studies show that people who show their appreciation daily are more energetic, determined, healthier and more creative as well as have better interpersonal relationships, are more optimistic and better able to handle stress and personal challenges.
Here are five ways to practice gratitude that will help strengthen your appreciation muscles.
1. Each day, write down 3 to 5 things for which you are grateful. Watch what happens to the abundance in your life. Read more
Gratitude: Candy For Your Doctor? How Appreciation Changes The Interaction
Appreciation can be a kind of wake-up call. It can spark aliveness and connection in both the receiver and the giver. Below is a description of a study that utilized candy to measure the response of doctors.
I liked the idea and put my own version to work:
Recently I visited a new doctor for my annual check-up. Instead of candy, I brought with me, as a gift, one of the Gratitude Habitat bookmarks. Written on it is, “Give thanks for a little and you will find a lot.” My appointment was at the end of the day. Dr. S. looked a bit tired. As I handed her the bookmark I simply said, “Thank you for the work you do.” She stopped, read it, took a breath and shared a story of how the day before, she told her ailing father how much she appreciated him and how important it was for him to be grateful, too. They talked about what they appreciated about each other and about life. She said that his spirit was lifted and his voice grew stronger. Her facial expression and voice tone were soft and open. Clearly a special moment was created.
My new doctor said to me, “This is a perfect gift for me. Thank you.”
