Pushing Forward

Last week I mentioned that we were relatively lucky to have such good custodians and support both during the day and after school.  I suggested that it is important to let them know how much we appreciate their efforts. I’ve been thinking about that message since I wrote it; it’s important that we let everyone, not just the custodians, know how much we appreciate them!

The power of gratitude shouldn’t be underestimated.  Whether you’re the recipient or the person showing gratitude, the effects are undeniable.  In either case you feel better about yourself and you become, overall, more positive in your life.  There’s a lot of awesome research happening around the power of gratitude and it shows, time and time again, that showing gratitude is one of the healthiest things we can do!  

The Greater Good Science Center, out of UC Berkeley, is a definite go-to for me when it comes to social-emotional or mental health conversations.  One article that I love was written almost ten years ago but is still supported by today’s research. I like this article because the author shares some of the physical, psychological, and social benefits of showing gratitude.  I’ll keep it short this week because I want to encourage you to take a look at this article (and watch the embedded videos if you have time) and then consider ways that you can incorporate more gratitude into your life.