Gratitude

“He who knows he has enough is rich.” Lao Tzu

Gratitude could be described as the quality of being thankful. Being grateful for something may help us to become connected with the present; not wishing for something from the future or not thinking about the past. There may be many benefits to us of being grateful, such as improved mental health, increased happiness and a reduction in depression. It seems to me that one of the quests of being a human being is to be happy. Sometimes, when I just stop and ‘smell the roses’, I become aware of how good my life really is.

I am so grateful for everything in my life, and for actually having a life to be grateful for. I went for a swim with our children Daisy, Finn and Monty. The wind was blowing and the seas were rough. We could have had a disastrous time at the beach, but we drove a short distance to a more secluded beach and had a wonderful time together. How grateful I was that we could go somewhere else. I felt grateful to have a car to transport us all in, to be able to park close to the beach and to be able to live in a place where our family is safe.

Sometimes, I dream of having more, but I am often reminded how grateful I am for what we already have. And I am truly grateful for my children. Simply stopping and considering what we do have, rather than wanting for more, helps us to simply appreciate things. We can feel more at peace and calm, which can be a wonderful experience. How lucky we all are to be alive.

Choose one idea from this list to try at home together as a family this week. Feel free to adapt or change it to suit your family. Maybe you have a different way to show gratitude as a family.

• Write a letter or card to someone and thank them for something that they have done for you.
• Name someone who has helped you become the person that you are today. Contact them and tell them.
• Talk about all the things that you are grateful for in your lives.
• Write a list of a dozen people in your life that you are grateful for. Share them with your family.
• What’s the best thing that has happened to you today so far? Discuss.
• As a family, talk about what have you learned recently that will help you in the future.
• What are the best things about your family? Make a list.
• During dinner, discuss what worked well for you so far this week.
• What made you smile and laugh today? Talk with the family about these things.
• Make a list of 15 things that you are grateful for. Compare them with your family. Are any the same?
• Think of someone who you are grateful to know and you have not contacted for a while. Give them a call or post them a card.

After listening to someone discuss the importance of gratitude one evening at Finn and Monty’s school, the following night around the dinner table, I was talking with my family about gratitude; what it meant to me and how I thought it differed from luck. We all started to think about the things in our lives that we are grateful for. I shared how I was grateful for my family, my health, the job that I have and hours that I work, giving me so much family time, and the house we live in (it’s not the best house around, but we all love it). Sandi, Daisy, Finn and Monty all shared many different things that they were grateful for; some I could have predicted, others surprising.

This was such a loving and caring mood that we created together. It was also such a different space to be in for me – I am often thinking of the next thing. What will I build next? What project will I take on? What toy will I buy next? I often forget to be present to what is ‘now’ and to appreciate what I truly am grateful for. This discussion around the table was such a wonderful experience for us where we all stopped and thought about all the things in our lives that are truly wonderful. It was such a precious conversation to share together.

“Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for.” Zig Ziglar