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from The Parent’s Little Book of Lists:
Do’s & Don’ts of Effective Parenting by Jane Bluestein, Ph.D.,
© 1997, Health Communications, Inc., Deerfield Beach, FL.
8 Ways to Live in Gratitude
by Jane Bluestein, Ph.D.
Tips for making your life more rich and positive.
Enjoy the beauty, richness, love and opportunities that already exist
in your life.
Express appreciation to people who do or give nice things to you. (Even
if you receive a gift you don’t particularly like, you can still
acknowledge the positive qualities of the gift and the thoughtfulness
of the giver.)
Reframe painful or disappointing events as opportunities for growth
and learning. Deliberately look for silver linings!
Become aware of how much of your thoughts and conversation are devoted
to complaints, how much of your focus is on what is lacking in your
life.
Be an example of happiness, abundance and appreciation. Watch out for
tendencies to minimize or apologize for the good in your life, either
to protect someone less fortunate or out of fear of attracting misfortune.
Living small serves no one.
If you don’t already have one, start a personal gratitude journal.
End your day writing down at least three things you feel grateful for.
Create a family gratitude journal. Encourage everyone in the family
to write, draw or dictate at least one contribution a week. (If weekly
participation is impractical at this point, try this activity on birthdays
or holidays, or even once a year, perhaps during the week before Thanksgiving
or New Year’s.)
Let the people you care about know that you are grateful to have them
in your livesand why!
A note of caution:
Gratitude is a very personal experience. Watch the tendency to tell others
what they should feel grateful for. (Having much to be thankful for does
not diminish the reality of sadness or disappointment, or the need to
feel those feelings from time to time.)
Also, remember that the idea of gratitude may be difficult for
children, especially young children, to appreciate, demonstrate or even
understand. Rather than punish ingratitude, help your children to learn
behaviors that express gratitude, and to develop this value as they grow.
15 Ways to Live Optimistically
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© 2008, Jane Bluestein, Ph.D., Instructional Support Services, Inc.
Last updated on
October 16, 2006 5:38 PM
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