“What are you thankful for?”
It’s the question we always ask this time of year, and it’s always the same: friends, family, good health. It’s so easy to get caught up in the small annoyances and big problems of our day-to-day life. Kids have been trained for this moment but of course most of our kids don’t really get it. They’ll recite as they’ve been taught: “I’M GRATEFUL FOR MY HOUSE AND MY FAMILY AND MY XBOX.”
Sadly it sometimes takes big loss or change to truly appreciate the things in life. Sometimes, it’s not until something changes drastically that we notice the impact in our lives. Practicing giving thanks every day – gratitude – is proven to be good for your mental and physical health. In our house, we try to celebrate the small everyday joys along with the big ones. I point out to my kids when I see a beautiful flower or a really cool cloud formation, and they do the same now.
Like studying, I also remind them of good laughs and good times we had during the day. “Remember when…” is a great way to reinforce those positive interactions and moments! I also have a standing appointment on my calendar for “Gratitude Thursdays”, when I have everyone send a note (handwritten or email) to someone that did something nice. Like any muscle or habit, it just takes practice, and we don’t make it happen every week but having a reminder helps.
Happy Thanksgiving to the Pulse FM community!
-Jen
#ThatSurreyMom
@jenxrobbins