Week 6 -- Gratitude continued

Activity #1
Respond to the following prompts:
  • I’m grateful for three things I hear:
  • I’m grateful for three things I see:
  • I’m grateful for three things I smell:
  • I’m grateful for three things I touch/feel:
  • I’m grateful for these three things I taste:
  • I’m grateful for these three blue things:
  • I’m grateful for these three animals/birds:
  • I’m grateful for these three friends:
  • I’m grateful for these three teachers:
  • I’m grateful for these three family members:
  • I’m grateful for these three things in my home:
  • I’m grateful for these three things at Thames:

Activity #2
Video (7 minutes) -- An Empowerment of Gratitude

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHv6vTKD6lg

 Activity #3
Image result for journalingGratitude Letter -- 
This might be the most powerful gratitude exercise. Write a hand-written letter to a person you are particularly grateful to have in your life. Be detailed. Express all the wonderful qualities about this person, and how they personally have affected your life for the better.
If you have the time personally deliver this letter to the person yourself.
Do it unexpectedly. Your level of gratitude should skyrocket, as you observe the bliss the receiver gets from your generous act. It will probably be one of the greatest gifts you will ever receive.
The positive effects of this gratitude exercise were researched and carried out by Kent State professor Steve Toepfer, associate professor in Human Development and Family Studies.
In his 2007 study, his undergraduate students experienced enhanced levels of life satisfaction and happiness, as well as decreased symptoms of depression. Toepfer’s goal of this study was to determine the psychological benefits, if any, for the authors of these gratitude letters (Vincent, 2007).
The results of this study are quite straightforward. If you wish to increase your gratitude and happiness levels then intentionally script letters to inspiring people in your life.
If you are feeling down and maybe even depressed, you should most certainly give this practice a try. For an even further joy boost hand deliver your letter to the receivers so you can witness the receiver’s reactions for yourswriting a gratitude letter email elf.
This activity can be either an email or a letter which you can send off in the mail or deliver personally.
Think about a person who has recently done something good for you, to whom you have not yet expressed your gratitude. This person may be a friend, family member, coworker, teacher, or mentor.
Try to pick someone who you can visit within the next week if you are practicing the visit component.

 Who is the person who has had the most impact on your life?  Write a letter to that person. 

  • Write as though you are addressing the person directly.
  • Don't worry about getting your grammar or spelling perfect (unless you are sending the email/letter to them).
  • Describe what this person has done that makes you grateful, and how they have impacted your life. Be as concreted as possible here.
  • Describe what you are doing in life now, and how frequently you remember their act of kindness and generosity.
  • Try to keep your letter to about 300 words or so.
Image result for gratitude

 Gratitude article from Psychology 
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/gratitude

 Nature. Beauty. Gratitude
https://www.ted.com/talks/louie_schwartzberg_nature_beauty_gratitude?language=en#t-401935
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