Gratitude

Welcome back everyone. Hope you have managed a little bit of rest and relaxation over the half term break. The last session was focusing on ‘positivity.’ If you didn’t manage to take a look then you can do that before beginning this week’s session looking at gratitude.

Gratitude is a warm feeling of thankfulness towards the world, or towards specific individuals. The person who feels gratitude is thankful for what they have, and does not constantly seek more.

In positive psychology research, gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships. People feel and express gratitude in multiple ways.

3 Ways to Practice Gratitude

1. Notice good things, look for them, appreciate them.
2. Savour, absorb, and really pay attention to those good things.
3. Express your gratitude to yourself, write it down, or thank someone.

People who regularly practice gratitude by taking time to notice and reflect upon the things they're thankful for experience more positive emotions, feel more alive, sleep better, express more compassion and kindness, and even have stronger immune systems.

Check out this motivational video which makes us stop and be thankful for the things we already have in our lives

To immediately access a sense of gratitude: Gently close your eyes, or keep your gaze on the ground. Then, gradually bring to mind someone you love, your partner, child, good friend, at their absolute happiest, smiling, laughing. Imagine them getting exactly what they want. Check out this 10 minute meditation focusing on gratitude.