Cultivating an attitude of gratitude is one
of the best gifts you can give to yourself and
your children. Like any new skill, it takes
some time, planning and determination.
Gratitude is an antidote to jealousy.
When you start to compare what you
have with what other people have,
thinking about all the things in your life
hat you're grateful for chases away the
green monster of envy.
Gratitude is an antidote to worry.
When you are worried about what might
happen tomorrow, thinking about all the
things you're grateful for today pushes
aside fear of the future.
Gratitude is an antidote to insecurity.
When you feel as if you're not good
enough, thinking about your God-given
gifts and talents helps you to see there is
meaning and purpose in your life.
Gratitude is an antidote to anger. When you are upset with someone you
love, thinking about how grateful you are for the good things about this
person helps makes you want to patch things up.
Gratitude is an antidote to sadness. When you feel down, an attitude of
gratitude for all the good things in your life chases the blues away.
Gratitude is an antidote to stress. When you feel as if you can't cope,
thinking about how grateful you are for everything that is going well in your
life helps to restore a sense of peace.
Here are some things that you can do to make you and your family people
of gratitude:
At breakfast and bedtime, encourage everyone in the family to thank God for
the special people in your lives.
At dinnertime, encourage every member of the family to mention one thing
that made them feel grateful during the day.
Make a list of the things in your lives that you are grateful for. Write each
thing on a slip of paper and create a gratitude jar. Encourage everyone in the
family to draw a slip from the jar whenever they are having a bad day.
Encourage your children to be grateful for the gift of nature, the air we
breathe, the light of the sun, and the beauty of the stars.
Teach your children that good manners are an expression of gratitude.
Saying thank you and, even, please are important ways to let people know
that you are grateful.
This approach will help you begin to see yourself, other people, the world
around you and the God that made you in a new and exciting way.
Gratitude will transform your life and your new attitude will become one more thing that you can be grateful for !
by Lorene Hanley Duquin
From Holy Name of Jesus Parish,Laval, Quebec, Canada Bulletin November 15, 2009
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