Category:
- Spiritual Wellness 🙏
- Mental Wellness 🧠
Age Groups
- Grade 4-6
- Grade 7-9
Introduction
Gratitude is an emotion that is strongly linked to greater levels of happiness. Gratitude helps people feel positive emotions and value the good things that are in their lives. In many ways, gratitude helps to improve health by lowering stress and providing the mindset to deal with problems or difficulties. It also helps us to be more empathic towards others. Gratitude builds resilience!
Objective
Build awareness of the positive things in your life by developing a ‘Gratitude Attitude’.
Materials
- A clear jar (pint or quart work well)
- Glue or tape, scissors and optional decorations – stickers, ribbons etc.
- Strip of paper to print – “Gratitude Jar”
- Slips of paper or post it notes
Steps
- Watch the video: “Gratitude as a learning strategy”
- Discuss the following questions with friend, family member, or classmate:
- What do you think “Gratitude is an Attitude” means? Do you think it is true?
- What does it mean to look at life through a positive lens?
- What are the good things in your life that you are grateful for?
- Make your gratitude jar. While the jar is just a container, it is also a visual, symbolic reminder to reflect on being grateful for the good things in your life. Decorate your jar and decide where you are going to keep it so that each day you can write a gratitude slip.
- Write something that you are feeling grateful for today and put it in your jar.
- Plan to do a slip each day for one month. At the end of the month, read and review the many things in your life that are good and positive.
- Continue the practice as you train yourself to have a ‘Gratitude Attitude’.
Reflection
- How do keep yourself looking through your positive lens at life?
- What can you learn to do to help you focus on the positives and train your brain to not go to the negative of the situation? Can you learn new skills in this area?