Unique Ways to Give Thanks
Tis the season to give thanks! No matter if or how you celebrate Thanksgiving, it sparks a movement of reflection. Life can be busy and stressful. It distracts us from noticing the blessings that surround us daily. This post will share unique ways to give thanks.
Model
Take time to reflect on what you yourself are thankful for and write it down on a post-it note. As you start collecting thankful notes, create a visual display for all to see. Draw or print off a turkey body, and place different colored post-it notes with your thankful statements all around the body to serve as the feathers. Others will take notice of your daily thankful habit and join you by either adding theirs to your turkey or by creating their own.
Collaborate
Create a thankful chain as a staff. Cut up strips of different colored construction paper. Staff can grab as many strips as they’d like and write one thing or person they are thankful for and link it together in chain form. This can hang in the front office or along the hallways in the school. Students will notice and want to create their own thankful chain too!
Need other ideas for students to build their thankful habit? Check this out.
Extend
We don’t only want to be thankful around the Thanksgiving season, but year-round too! Creating a daily, weekly, or monthly thankful habit will ensure you keep perspective when life gets hard. I use a “blessings journal” in which I write down the date and a description anytime something positive happens in my life (personally and professionally). It’s a record of blessings to help remind me that goodness is surrounding me. Find a habit you can stick to and you’ll notice how quickly you have taught your brain to pay attention to the good happening around you. Your mood will lighten, your stress will seem more bearable, and you’ll be motivated to keep going, knowing more blessings will come.
GO BE GREAT!
What thankful habit will you create?
About the author, Gretchen
I am a teacher trainer and coach. Working elbow to elbow with teachers and teacher leaders to ensure instructional proficiency and student achievement soar lights me up. We have a real need in our nation for strong educators to remain in the field. My blog, book, podcast, courses and instructional materials are geared towards empowering teachers (and those that lead them) to receive the support needed to grow and thrive today, tomorrow and always.