Happy Thanksgiving and a Reminder About Gratitude

As we approach this holiday weekend, we enter a time of reflection and gratitude, and I want to share something with all of you. I am extremely grateful for the people who make up this agency and for the outstanding work you do every day. I have spent a great deal of time in recent weeks calling on school districts, and I continue to hear over and over how much the work you do is appreciated. These interactions always leave me both humbled and thankful. The work you do on a daily basis is making a profound difference in the lives of children throughout Central Iowa. I want to pass along not only my personal gratitude to all of you for jobs so well done, but also forward to you the appreciation that I so often receive on your behalf when I visit districts. The Central Iowa education community is grateful for the things you do and so am I!   

Gratitude -- Sincere appreciation for what one receives 
Since I am feeling extra grateful right now, I decided to do a bit of rudimentary research, and here is what I learned about gratitude, courtesy of Google, Wikipedia and Harvard Medical School Health Publishing. Gratitude comes from the Latin word "gratia," which also gives us the words “grace” and “gracious.” It can be defined as “a sincere appreciation for what one receives.” Gratitude is a powerful emotion because it has a direct impact on our physical and mental health. In fact, studies on happiness show that our ability to be happy is dependent at least in part on our ability to experience gratitude.    

Our ability to be grateful is dependent on two variables:  

1. One variable is simply the degree to which we are able to recognize the good that happens in our lives. (I know this sounds pretty easy, but during times of trial, I think we can all agree that it can often be a challenge to simply find the good.) 
 
2. The other variable that impacts our ability to feel gratitude is the degree to which we are willing to attribute the good we experience in life to a place outside of ourselves. We are social creatures, and gratitude is most fully experienced when it is shared. Shared gratitude is fundamental to healthy relationships.
   

Happiness Through Gratitude 
Here’s some good news. There is research that shows that, in general, gratitude and happiness grow with age and that experiencing gratitude is a skill that can be cultivated over time with practice. We can learn over time to refocus on the goodness we experience. Here are some ways Harvard Health Publishing suggests we can grow our ability to experience happiness through gratitude:   

Thank someone verbally or write a thank you note. Set a goal for sharing your appreciation. Who deserves to know that I appreciate them? How can I best express my gratitude? Share your gratitude on a regular basis and keep track.   

Thank someone mentally. Even if you do not share your gratitude, it helps to make a mental note that you are grateful. Think about someone who is doing good.   

Keep a journal. Take note of what you are thankful for each day and share with a significant other or write it in a journal.   

Prayer and/or meditation. People who exercise religious practice can use prayer to cultivate gratitude.  Mindfulness meditation often focuses on a word or phrase but can also focus on sources of gratitude.   

So I hope this holiday season you will not only experience true gratitude but also be willing to share that gratitude with others. It will enrich your relationships and create more happiness all around, something we all can use. 

Again, thanks to all of you for everything you do for our agency and the children and educators of Central Iowa -- you make a difference. I appreciate your work and am thankful for every person who works here. This is a great place to work because of the special people who work here.

Thanks again and have a great Thanksgiving!
Jon