November is National Gratitude Month and it provides us with the opportunity to actively embrace the power of gratitude.

Gratitude is so much more than simply saying “thank you”. Reflecting on that for which we are grateful, is an important way for people to feel satisfaction with themselves and their current state, rather than dissatisfaction with what they don’t have. Practicing daily gratitude or “thankful thinking” gives us a deeper connection to ourselves, builds better interpersonal relationships, helps us develop stronger bonds with others, and connects us to the world around us.

Even more so, the Harvard Medical School highlights the findings of studies that show the power of gratitude. “In positive psychology research, gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.”

There are a variety of ways to cultivate gratitude within your home and classroom setting. but here are some ideas to get you started:

• Create a special gratitude mini-journal to encourage writing down or drawing thankful thoughts.
• Set out 2-4 minutes at the same time each day to write down one thankful thought.
• Block out 4-6 minutes to meditate and mentally think things you are grateful for.
• Write a “thank-you” note to someone who means a lot to you or has impacted your life.