Year of Kindness and Gratitude: Summer fun we are grateful for

In The Commons you will see a new Gratitude Wall to focus on summer fun and what we are grateful for – please stop by and let’s see if we can fill the wall! Gratitude is one of those things that changes our entire outlook. This is because it requires you to see the positive things in your life. They don’t have to be big grandiose events. Taking the time to be grateful for the simple things will have a big impact.

Over the summer consider starting a gratitude jar. Find a large jar with a lid, a favorite pen, and a stack of post-it notes (or other slips of paper). Make sure to set it in a place where you will see it each day. Every day write down something you are grateful for and put it in the jar. On the days you’re struggling to find something good in your life, pull out one of the papers and remind yourself you do have things to be grateful for. A gratitude jar is great for the whole family. Each evening at dinner time everyone writes down one good thing that happened that day and places it in the jar. Later, as a family, you can all look back on all the wonderful memories you’ve experienced.

A few simple things to be grateful for this summer:

• Air conditioning

• The smell of fresh-cut grass

• Strolling through a Farmers Market

• Hiking at your favorite local trail

• Ice cream on a really hot day

• Ice-cold watermelon

• Reading a good book

• A cool breeze blowing through the house

• Family bike rides

• Outdoor grilling

• Stargazing on a warm summer evening