• There are many benefits from making gratitude a habit.

• Gratitude is a powerful force which can improve our lives.

• Gratitude can enhance our relationships and results.

• Reduces negative thoughts and actions;

• Reduces our stress levels;

• Increases our level of joy and happiness;

• Increases our energy, enthusiasm, determination, and focus;

• Improves problem-solving skills;

• Helps attract what we want;

• Improves relationships with others;

• Assists us to learn new skills;

• Increases our optimism;

• Makes us feel more alive;

• Improves our immune system;

• Contributes to better sleep;

• Increases our mental strength; and

• Enhances our self-esteem.

The best thing about gratitude is that it requires little time and effort and is free.

If we do this each day it can become a powerful habit.

• Practice giving each other compliments.

• State something that you appreciate that has happened in your world today.

• What can you learn from something that happened today?

• Vow not to complain, criticize or gossip for a week and keep track of your progress.

• Keep a gratitude journal for a week and share some of the comments, at the next meeting.

• Create a ‘gratitude jar’ where you write notes about the good things as they happen.

• Use ‘gratitude prompts.’ [For example, I am grateful for three [friends/ teachers/things I (hear, see) / teachers, etc.].

There are many resources available listing different exercises.

One example can is found at: https://positivepsychologyprogram.com/gratitude-exercises/

Gratitude is something from which we can all benefit.

We can assist our young people to use this powerful force.

In our coaching, we can discuss making gratitude a habit. This will assist our youth to cope with our rapidly changing world.