Gratitude

Throughout the resilience project, we continue to focus On GEM (Gratefulness, Empathy and mindfulness) in our hubs. 

This week in our newsletter we focus on Gratitude. Gratitude is paying attention to the things we have right now and not worrying about what we don’t have. We practise this by noticing the positives that exist around us.

In 21 days of practising gratitude you rewire your brain to start scanning the world for the positives. You become three times more likely to notice a positive.

In 42 days you: are less likely to get sick, have higher levels of energy, feel happier, feel more enthusiastic, more focused, more determined, more optimistic, have a greater quality of sleep, and lower levels of depression and anxiety.

So many benefits – let’s all try to be grateful for the things and people in our lives every day!

A way we can practically show gratitude this weekend is to take a moment to stop and say ‘dis’. Your tamariki will be able to explain ‘dis’ to you.

Whole Family Activity:

Gratitude Scavenger Hunt

As a family create a scavenger hunt list of things that make you happy or you are grateful

for, you can make your own list or use the examples below:

• Something that makes you happy

• Something you love to smell

• Something you enjoy looking at

• Something that is your favourite colour

• Something you like in nature

• Something that is useful for you

Each member of the family uses the list and must find as many things as they can.

You can hunt for things inside or outside, or both. You can hunt for real things, or you can

also do this using magazines or pictures from the internet.

After a set amount of time hunting, come back together, have a look at what each person

collected and let them explain why they are grateful for each item.