The Attitude of Gratitude
Wednesday, November 15, 2017
“Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.” - Eckhart Tolle, A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose
“When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears.” - Anthony Robbins
Thanksgiving will soon be upon us and for many of us, it’s a time for us to gather together with family and friends and show our appreciation for each other. It’s a great time to reflect on the things we have been blessed with and are grateful for, and more importantly show our children why it’s important to feel and show gratitude.
What is gratitude?
Gratitude is a feeling of being thankful, showing appreciation and returning any kindness that has come your way. There are three stages, says Dr. Robert Emmons, author of "Thanks! How Practicing Gratitude Can Make You Happier". These are recognizing what we’re grateful for, acknowledging it, and appreciating it. What few people understand is that it is a life-long habit to cultivate, but built on a daily basis on the small moments, as well as the big ones in life.
How does gratitude help us?
Gratitude puts situations into perspective. When we can see the good as well as the bad, it becomes more difficult to complain and stay stuck - this leads to resilience, a particularly powerful ability that will help children overcome many things in life. Gratitude also helps us realize what we have. The awareness of what we're grateful for can lessen our tendency to want more all the time - the perfect antidote to the consumerism and greed children may often experience in a city such as Hong Kong.
How to experience gratitude
Ever heard your child say something like “Wow, it’s windy, I love the wind!”? They are in fact showing appreciation of a very small moment. This something that small children do naturally, day to day. Try to notice your day-to-day world from a point of gratitude, recognise it when they do and be amazed at all the goodness we take for granted.
• When you find yourself in a bad situation ask: What can I learn? When I look back on this, without emotion, what will I be grateful for? When it happens to your child, ask them these questions and answer them together. By doing this, you are giving them the tools to be resilient and strive for improvement, as well as cultivating appreciation for the lessons learned.
• Give at least one compliment daily, whether directly to a person or by sharing your appreciation of something ("I love how quiet it is in the morning, don’t you?"). By setting this example in front of your children, they will learn that appreciation out-loud is something to strive for, and not shy away from, and that by showing our appreciation of others, we are acknowledging our respect of others and who they are. Compliments directed to your children will also build up their self-esteem. When Mark Twain said, “I can live two months on a good compliment,” he only told half the story. While the person who receives the praise enjoys feeling noticed and valued (and is motivated to do more of the same), the giver can also bask in the connection. With every compliment given, a bond is strengthened, trust is built, and conversation encouraged.
Here are some dos and don’ts to make the most of giving and receiving of admiration (or teaching how to give and receive compliments):
1.) DO be genuine. False praise is easy to spot, and it undermines trust.
2.) DON’T give back-handed compliments, such as “You throw a ball well for a girl.”
3.) DO be as specific as possible. Vague: “I like how you drew your picture.” Specific: “I like how you drew the lion. It looks so alive and ferocious.”
4.) DON’T brush off a compliment given to you. It’s like returning a gift and gives the impression you don’t care for it.
5.) DO smile and say thank-you when you receive a compliment.
Gratitude makes us happier by strengthening our relationships, improving our health, reducing stress, and, in general, making us happier, according to Dr. Emmons. It is about daily practice, showing our children the abundance which comes with gratitude that the philosophers describe.
School has begun! Our Hong Kong Kindergarten Specialist is here to talk about to talk about how separation anxiety affects parents, and what parents can do to help both themselves and children!
➡【Join our Mighty Oaks family!/ 快來加入奧恩大家庭】
➡【 Sign up for Acorn Trial Class now!/Acorn 試堂優惠】
“When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears.” - Anthony Robbins
Thanksgiving will soon be upon us and for many of us, it’s a time for us to gather together with family and friends and show our appreciation for each other. It’s a great time to reflect on the things we have been blessed with and are grateful for, and more importantly show our children why it’s important to feel and show gratitude.
What is gratitude?
Gratitude is a feeling of being thankful, showing appreciation and returning any kindness that has come your way. There are three stages, says Dr. Robert Emmons, author of "Thanks! How Practicing Gratitude Can Make You Happier". These are recognizing what we’re grateful for, acknowledging it, and appreciating it. What few people understand is that it is a life-long habit to cultivate, but built on a daily basis on the small moments, as well as the big ones in life.
How does gratitude help us?
Gratitude puts situations into perspective. When we can see the good as well as the bad, it becomes more difficult to complain and stay stuck - this leads to resilience, a particularly powerful ability that will help children overcome many things in life. Gratitude also helps us realize what we have. The awareness of what we're grateful for can lessen our tendency to want more all the time - the perfect antidote to the consumerism and greed children may often experience in a city such as Hong Kong.
How to experience gratitude
Ever heard your child say something like “Wow, it’s windy, I love the wind!”? They are in fact showing appreciation of a very small moment. This something that small children do naturally, day to day. Try to notice your day-to-day world from a point of gratitude, recognise it when they do and be amazed at all the goodness we take for granted.
• When you find yourself in a bad situation ask: What can I learn? When I look back on this, without emotion, what will I be grateful for? When it happens to your child, ask them these questions and answer them together. By doing this, you are giving them the tools to be resilient and strive for improvement, as well as cultivating appreciation for the lessons learned.
• Give at least one compliment daily, whether directly to a person or by sharing your appreciation of something ("I love how quiet it is in the morning, don’t you?"). By setting this example in front of your children, they will learn that appreciation out-loud is something to strive for, and not shy away from, and that by showing our appreciation of others, we are acknowledging our respect of others and who they are. Compliments directed to your children will also build up their self-esteem. When Mark Twain said, “I can live two months on a good compliment,” he only told half the story. While the person who receives the praise enjoys feeling noticed and valued (and is motivated to do more of the same), the giver can also bask in the connection. With every compliment given, a bond is strengthened, trust is built, and conversation encouraged.
Here are some dos and don’ts to make the most of giving and receiving of admiration (or teaching how to give and receive compliments):
1.) DO be genuine. False praise is easy to spot, and it undermines trust.
2.) DON’T give back-handed compliments, such as “You throw a ball well for a girl.”
3.) DO be as specific as possible. Vague: “I like how you drew your picture.” Specific: “I like how you drew the lion. It looks so alive and ferocious.”
4.) DON’T brush off a compliment given to you. It’s like returning a gift and gives the impression you don’t care for it.
5.) DO smile and say thank-you when you receive a compliment.
Gratitude makes us happier by strengthening our relationships, improving our health, reducing stress, and, in general, making us happier, according to Dr. Emmons. It is about daily practice, showing our children the abundance which comes with gratitude that the philosophers describe.
School has begun! Our Hong Kong Kindergarten Specialist is here to talk about to talk about how separation anxiety affects parents, and what parents can do to help both themselves and children!
➡【Join our Mighty Oaks family!/ 快來加入奧恩大家庭】
➡【 Sign up for Acorn Trial Class now!/Acorn 試堂優惠】
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