Simple acts of gratitude offered, received, and witnessed.

Note to my readers: Today’s post marks the beginning of the 9th year of this weekly blog. Thank you for following, sharing, and commenting.  I am grateful.

Gratitude can manifest in any number of ways. While some may be over-the-top offerings, most come our way in simple acts of heartfelt appreciation, kindness, and thankfulness.

I start my morning meditations with gratitude for people and other beings, opportunities, health, and experiences.  This daily exercise provides gentle reminders.

How do you show gratitude? What acts of kindness have you observed or committed? Perhaps you can build upon the following ideas.

• Send a handwritten note.
• Send a text message saying, “I appreciate you!” Bonus: Say why!
• Leave a voicemail.
• Volunteer
• Put down the digital device, turn off the TV, and have a real conversation. Look into the other person’s eyes.
• Pull in the neighbor’s garbage can.
• Say, “Thank you.”
• Round up the tip for the server.
• Put out the coffee cups and spoons the night before.
• Set the table. Clear the table.
• Say, “Thanks for your service” to the custodial staff at the gym, on campus, at work.
• Respond to an opposing viewpoint with grace—and seek to understand.
• Place a “Love Bucket” on your desk/in the break room/at the copy machine/by the coffee stand for people to drop in notes of encouragement and thanks. (Note: I did this for a number of years in my classroom. And in my office.)
• Buy the person behind you a cup of coffee.
• Join online groups like “Random Acts of Kindness.”

On Facebook, I posed the question, “What are some simple acts of gratitude you have shown or have been a recipient of recently or witnessed?”  Some of the responses included:

• Wrote a thank you note to a parent volunteer.
• Was in the hospital and got handmade get well cards from over 200 students…made my day.
• A friend took me aside at a large event to tell me she had the best afternoon reflecting on my family photos I had posted over the years on Facebook. I was so touched by her care for me.
• Hubby stopped and said thank you the other night, to a doctor that stayed late and helped out with testing.
• My ex-husband passed and friends did a fundraiser for my kids.
• Perfect strangers stepping up to walk my dogs and bring me food while seriously ill in the hospital.
• When we were homeless, a student who knew of my situation gave me the money to pay for my hotel room for one night.
• “Good Wishes” jar from my students at a recent course.
• Sweetest Mother’s Day card ever from a son who obviously “gets it” and appreciates it!
• A handwritten mother’s day letter from her 11-year old son that incorporated his English class skills!
• Received a handmade mother’s day card from a girl I baby sit.
• In the hospital, in a lot of pain and pretty scared … was wheeled back to my room and saw two precious therapy dogs and their copilots! Made my day.
• Gave a shout out to my network to recommend a colleague for their excellent service.
• “Oh no, I got this…Happy Mother’s Day!…With that…he covered the difference [I owed at the cash register]. I stammered, through weepy eyes, “Thank you…can I give you a hug?” We did.
• Took in some elderly people’s garbage cans for them.
• We helped somebody dock [a boat] while it was raining. They gave us about 5 bags of groceries.
• When my dad died …three of my [former] students offered to clean up so I could be with my mom and siblings. When I came home, there were fresh flowers and a cooked meal for us!

Gratitude.

 Video recommendation for the week.

Can gratitude improve our wellbeing?  Watch this video.

Make it an inspiring and grateful week and H.T.R.B. as needed.

For information about and to order my book, Stories about Teaching, Learning, and Resilience: No Need to be an Island, click here.  A number of colleges and one state-wide agency have adopted it for training and coaching purposes. Contact me if you and your team are interested in doing the same.

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