Hello Foundations Families and Friends,
This week’s growth mindset quote is…
“Gratitude can transform common days into Thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.” – William Arthur Ward
Each day in the Foundations classrooms we start the mornings writing in our Gratitude Journals. We do this because science has shown that gratitude actually rewires the brain in ways that produces amazing benefits, such as:
- Higher production of dopamine and serotonin, which promotes happiness and contentment.
- Lowers cortisol levels, which lowers stress and anxiety.
- Improves memory and ability to learn.
- Improves sleep.
- Increases energy.
- Increases self-esteem.
- Builds resilience.
- And studies have shown that grateful people live longer!
WOW, does that list inspire you to pursue the practice of gratitude or what?!
One of the most important things to remember is that gratitude is a choice. You don’t have to wait until you feel grateful to experience the benefits of gratitude. In fact, the most important time to practice gratitude is when you’re struggling to feel grateful.
My challenge to you this week is to start practicing the skill of gratitude by taking a few minutes every morning to write a list of things you are grateful for. It doesn’t matter if you feel grateful for those things, just write them down and spend a few minutes thinking about how grateful you are for them. If you do this day after day, I have no doubt that in time you will start to experience the amazing benefits that gratitude produces.
If you’re interested in learning more about how gratitude changes the structure of the brain, here are two short videos that I recommend watching:
- The Science of Gratitude (2 minute video)
- Your Brain on Gratitude (3 minute video)
Wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving week!
