tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12774977469040854602024-03-05T00:39:38.352-08:00Teaching and Living Using SpiritualityThis blog explores and exchanges ideas about education, teaching, life, and spirituality from research-based methods to practical experience in the classroom and the world.Owen M. Griffithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02698066605750960265noreply@blogger.comBlogger117125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1277497746904085460.post-63052002055823801282023-10-29T12:31:00.004-07:002023-10-29T12:44:55.369-07:00Living in the Rainbow and Avoiding Spiderwebs<p>A friend recently said, "I used to think everything was black
and white, all or nothing, but now I see almost everything is grey, and I live
in the grey." I had heard that before, but I really appreciated the
reminder in today's polarized world. However, the next friend said
something that completely changed my perspective. "I used to
think that until I realized there is an entire rainbow of colors between black
and white. Today, I want to live, explore, and play in the entire rainbow."</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In that moment, I realized that I needed to open my eyes and
perception to living in the rainbow, which means I need to look at the world
and the people in it with new eyes, without judgment, so that I can connect to
all of this in the most authentic way possible. Changing old ideas
and views that I have held for 58 years is challenging, but the reward is
limitless when I live with a new perspective. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Another lesson I learned recently is about spiderwebs.
<wt-ignore source="wt-feature-result" uuid="5e849407-207b-4ca5-b9d4-80b544928315">In
the wilderness area behind my son's high school, I have the pleasure of hiking
after dropping him off every morning.</wt-ignore> It has been such a pleasure
to "forest bathe" every day and to receive the spiritual nourishment
and healing that nature provides. </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Most days, I see deer, which triggers a magical
moment, feeling like being in the presence of fairies. </span>I need to get very quiet and still,
so they don’t run away. If I can do this, I get to feel and become one with
nature.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">One day, I saw a turtle crossing the trail and a river otter
swimming in a little tributary, but the main lesson I learned was that my 6'
4" body runs into spider webs on this trail, especially early in the
morning. I was blindly walking into these beautiful webs, and I had
difficulty getting them off my head since the golden orb spider spent all night
making them. <wt-ignore source="wt-feature-result" uuid="e8829b4e-909b-41bb-8647-255a1785242d">My
first solution was to wear a hat, but then it was hard to get the webs off the
hat.</wt-ignore> Then, another solution was a walking stick, holding it a few
inches above my head, obliterating the webs. But one bright morn, as the dew
clung to every fiber of each web, I could see them. Suddenly, I was able to
abandon the hat and the stick, and slightly adjust to avoid them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">As I successfully navigated the webs, I thought about how I usually walk
through life. Instead of bringing my awareness and adjusting to situations, I
often avoid or bulldoze people and situations. But now, rather than stumbling
blindly down the trails and trials of life, I may be able to bring a new
mindfulness. As long as I stay in the moment, paying attention to
life's webs, I can walk in the rainbow of life.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></p>Owen M. Griffithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02698066605750960265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1277497746904085460.post-33096003861269971082023-05-21T09:24:00.006-07:002023-05-21T09:24:51.663-07:00Owen's New Podcast-Resilience Corner<p>Hello! I wanted to share a fantastic and powerful podcast I was on recently. Actually, I have done six episodes over the last year, so please click on the link and listen to any episodes on gratitude to hear me, or you can listen to the last two part episode about using a "Practical Wisdom Framework" to work out problems in life that I was on. Here is the link: <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/0GOLsGbevpgWcxTEHYsP4h">Resilience Corner</a> Thank you!</p>Owen M. Griffithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02698066605750960265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1277497746904085460.post-74191854765715643412022-03-22T06:20:00.004-07:002022-03-22T06:21:22.735-07:00Ten Rules for Being Human<p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> <span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">Ten Rules for Being Human</span></span></p><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1510df; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: black; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1510df; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: black; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1. You will receive a body.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1510df; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: black; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">You may like it or hate it, but it will be yours for the entire period this time around.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1510df; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: black; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1510df; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: black; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">2. You will learn lessons.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1510df; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: black; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">You are enrolled in a full-time informal school called "life."</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1510df; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: black; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Each day in this school you will have the opportunity to learn lessons.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1510df; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: black; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">You may like the lessons or think them irrelevant or stupid.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1510df; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: black; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1510df; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: black; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">3. There are no mistakes, only lessons.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1510df; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: black; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Growth is a process of experimentation - trial and error. The so-called "failed experiments" are as much a part of the process as the experiments that ultimately "work".</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1510df; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: black; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1510df; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: black; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">4. A Lesson is repeated until learned.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1510df; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: black; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">It will be presented to you in various forms until you have learned it.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1510df; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: black; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">When you have learned it you can then go on to the next lesson. If you do not learn easy lessons, they become harder. You will know you have learned a lesson when your actions change.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1510df; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: black; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1510df; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: black; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">5. Learning lessons does not end.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1510df; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: black; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">There is no part of life that does not contain its lessons. Every person, every incident is the universal teacher. If you are alive, there are lessons to be learned.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1510df; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: black; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1510df; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: black; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">6. "There" is no better than "here."</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1510df; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: black; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Nothing leads to happiness. When your "there" has become a "here," you will simply obtain another "there" that again will look better than "here."</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1510df; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: black; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1510df; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: black; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">7. Others are merely mirrors of you.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1510df; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: black; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">You cannot love or hate something about another person unless it reflects something you love or hate in yourself.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1510df; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: black; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1510df; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: black; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">8. What you create of your life is up to you.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1510df; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: black; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">You have all the tools and resources your need; what you do with them is up to you.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1510df; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: black; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1510df; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: black; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">9. All your answers lie inside you.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1510df; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: black; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">All you need to do is look, listen and trust.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1510df; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: black; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1510df; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: black; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">10. You will forget all of this.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1510df; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: black; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div><div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1510df; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; color: black; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Cherie Carter-Scott, Ph.DO.</span></div>Owen M. Griffithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02698066605750960265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1277497746904085460.post-13216516365164076962022-02-13T08:25:00.001-08:002022-02-13T08:25:33.826-08:00Being Grateful while Embracing Sadness<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Recently, I saw someone posted a
comment on my gratitude blog that said, “You gratitude people never feel any
pain.” I first dismissed this as someone possibly “trolling” the blog. But then
I reflected that there are many misconceptions about gratitude and this short
comment aligns well with something I am working on lately, sitting with the
pain in my life and embracing sadness.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">For years, I have utilized the idea
that what I focus on in life grows, and for the most part, I think that is
true. But I also want to be whole, and I realize that exploring my sadness,
anger, resentment, and other emotions that I may classify as “negative” is
important. In fact, no emotion is negative or positive, but how I respond to
that emotion can make it positive or negative.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Part of being human is experiencing
pain and if I deny pain, then it will come out in distorted ways toward myself
and others. These days, I am trying to be aware of pain, sadness, and anger, bringing
new awareness and allowing them. Whenever possible, I explore and process them by
talking to others and journaling, sometimes uncovering new information that
allows me to discern if this emotion is prompting me to change something in
myself or in my life. For example, my anger may <span style="background: white; color: black;">serve as an impetus to rally others to help us change an
unfair situation.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Dr. Lori Santos, a Yale Professor, has
a powerful podcast on the subject of <a href="https://www.happinesslab.fm/2022-new-year-mini-season/embracing-sadness-in-the-pursuit-of-happiness">embracing sadness</a>,</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">where she talks to </span><span style="background: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 0.15pt;">journalist
Helen Russell, author of <i>How to be Sad: Everything I’ve Learned About
Getting Happier by Being Sad Better. </i></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">This podcast reminds me that
instead of ignoring my sadness, if I explore it and accept it, I will be healthier
emotionally and have a new opportunity to connect with others and grow toward
being authentic and whole.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">A leading writer on gratitude, David
Stendl-Rast</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, said that there are some things in life no one should be grateful
for, such as war, violence, or the death of a loved one. This confirms my
findings, that taking gratitude to an extreme form leads to negative results.
Additionally, there seems to be a form of “toxic gratitude” where an individual
may be ignoring something that needs to be changed in their life by trying merely
to be grateful for it. Of course, seeking professional help is always recommended
in these types of situations.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Personally, I have experienced loss,
with my brother passing away a decade ago and my father a year ago. Through
these experiences, I found that grief and gratitude can sometimes come together
and help balance each other out. For me, this is not about avoiding pain, but
letting the gratitude for another heal the experience of missing them.
Gratitude will never fill the hole in my heart or take away the pain or sadness
created by the loss, but it helps me remember that a physical death does not
end a relationship with a loved one. You can read about this more in my<a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/gratitude-and-grief_b_7078676"> blog </a>on
Huff Post.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Furthermore, Brene Brown, a professor
and researcher on emotions, posted something on social media about the
importance of gratitude and someone responded by writing, “gratitude might be
an overrated cure for depression, trauma, and anxiety.” Brown points out that
gratitude is not a “cure,” and we need to be wary of any single approach that
sold as fixing or curing complex mental health issues.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">However, gratitude remains a practice
that can enrich our lives and allow us to participate more in our lives as the
following quote from Dr. Robert Emmons, a leading researcher on gratitude,
wrote:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“Research on emotion shows that
positive emotions wear off quickly. Our emotional systems like newness. They
like novelty. They like change. We adapt to positive life circumstances so that
before too long, the new car, the new spouse, the new house-they don’t feel so
new and exciting anymore.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">But gratitude makes us appreciate the
value of something, and when we appreciate the value of something, we extract
more benefits from it; we’re less likely to take it for granted.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In effect, I think gratitude allows us
to participate more in life. We notice the positive more, and that magnifies
the pleasures you get from life. Instead of adapting to goodness, we celebrate
goodness. We spend so much time watching things-movies, computer screens,
sports-but with gratitude we become greater participants in our lives as
opposed to spectators.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>Owen M. Griffithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02698066605750960265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1277497746904085460.post-69489189905385756552021-08-08T04:52:00.007-07:002021-08-08T04:59:36.228-07:00Going the Wrong Way <p> <span face=""Segoe UI", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #201f1e; font-size: 11.5pt;">Recently, I went for a mountain bike ride in my
favorite forest here in North Georgia and had an experience that really changed
the way I look at life and more importantly, altered the way I interact
with the world. On this bike trail, the direction is one-way for safety, as
some bicyclists get going pretty fast down the hills but the direction changes each
day, so it can get confusing. When I ride and I come across someone going the
wrong way, I stop and gently tell them the correct direction. Usually, they are
new to the trail and they appreciate the information, since the signs showing
the correct direction are sparse.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #201f1e; font-size: 11.5pt;">A few days ago I went for a ride, truly enjoying
a mild summer day and the canopy of trees above me. I had not seen another
rider all day. Suddenly, I look up and see a rider is coming right toward me, so
I quickly pull off the trail and say, “You are going the wrong way.” This other
rider speeds up and says, as he flies by me, “Yea, you are!” As he hurries
away, I yell, “You better check that , DUDE!” thinking he may cause an accident
and I am helping him.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #201f1e; font-size: 11.5pt;">I brush off this encounter and keep riding, trying
to get back into it when I come upon a sign, marking the correct direction and I
see, with surprise and chagrin, that I WAS GOING THE WRONG WAY. This was a
complete paradigm shift, and I was abashed in a way I hadn’t felt in a long
time, especially as I reflected on how I yelled, childishly after the other
rider. I turned around and rode quickly, trying to catch the other rider and apologize
and make amends, but I couldn’t find him. So, what do I do with this encounter?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #201f1e; font-size: 11.5pt;">In the car, on the ride home, I reflected on
this and thought that the lesson here is to be more careful bike-riding, but
that seemed too small. I tried to enlarge my view and thought, this is about me
being more patient when I drive. Again, I realized this was probably not the message.
Then it came to me, this is really about me not being so “self-righteous” when I
think I am right, because as I saw in this story, I may not be right.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Segoe UI",sans-serif" style="background: white; color: #201f1e; font-size: 11.5pt;">Many times in life, I am going the wrong way,
in one way or another, and I try to correct others, when I should be
self-reflecting and ensuring I am on going in the right direction, whatever
that direction is for that day or in that moment. Also, I am deeply grateful
for the many, many loving family members and friends who have helped me
throughout my life, as they lovingly pointed out when I was going the wrong way
or when I get completely off the path, lost in the forest. Innumerable people
have lovingly held my hand, walking with me to help me find the path and go the
right direction. One last thing I learned, I can laugh at myself in this story
and in life, remembering not to take myself so seriously, DUDE!<o:p></o:p></span></p>Owen M. Griffithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02698066605750960265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1277497746904085460.post-46445244751834157662021-05-16T09:14:00.004-07:002021-05-16T09:14:26.531-07:00Owen's Interview with Dr. Marquita Blades<p><span color="inherit" face="Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">I was interviewed for a virtual education conference where I am presenting by the inspiration educator and colleague, Dr. Marquita Blades. Here is the link:</span></p><p><a data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMaiEHe5Djk" id="LPlnk" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMaiEHe5Djk</a></p><p>Also, please check out Dr. Blades amazing work at:</p><p><a href="https://drmarquitablades.com/powarrful-teaching">https://drmarquitablades.com/powarrful-teaching</a></p><p><br /></p>Owen M. Griffithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02698066605750960265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1277497746904085460.post-48850345311937873682021-02-26T10:52:00.003-08:002021-03-01T11:46:39.415-08:00English Version-My interview with the Spanish Education magazine, Educacion 3.0 was published this week.<p>This is the English version of the interview published in Educacion 3.0 this week.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Interview with Owen M. Griffith, educator, consultant, mentor and blogger.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Book: Gratitude: a way of Teaching. (Publisher in Spain: Narcea)</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" /></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">· In your book you state that gratitude can change the classroom. What are the elements that make up this feeling of esteem and can transform a class?</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" /></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Gratitude is more than a pleasant feeling for us and our students. Gratitude is a verb; it is an action. Our gratitude will grow as we practice it consciously and make it part of our lives. As educators, we can bring gratitude into our classrooms by encouraging students to take part regularly in gratitude activities, such as writing in a gratitude journal, verbally expressing gratitude, creating artwork that helps gratitude grow, and also exploring creative new ways to practice gratitude outside the classroom in our families and lives. As we make conscious gratitude part of the lives and ourselves and our students, gratitude elevates the culture of our classrooms. Initially, I was interested in bringing gratitude into the classroom because I read the research that students who practiced gratitude achieved better academically and also had less discipline problems and reported enjoying school more. For teachers, when they utilized gratitude, they experienced less stress, felt more satisfaction in their work, and also felt more willing to help their students and colleagues. After using gratitude in my classroom for over a decade, I can overwhelmingly report that I have found all that to be true. Gratitude is not a panacea that will cure all challenges in education, but it a powerful tool that can improve the culture and climate in any classroom.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" /></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">· The current situation has forced distance education, how can this gratitude be extended when students from the same centre are separated?</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" /></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">With our current situation with forced distance learning, we can still practice conscious gratitude. In fact, it seems even more important to integrate gratitude into our distance learning to help balance out the difficulties that our students experience. We should first admit that this situation is challenging, but then we can look at the opportunities to bring gratitude into distance learning. I know teachers who will start virtual conferences with students, asking how everyone is, checking in, sharing challenges, and then also asking all students to share at least one thing they are grateful for. This helps balance out all the negatives going on and gives students the opportunity to find the positive things still going on in their lives and with distance learning. Attitudes are contagious, even remotely, and gratitude can help us all survive and even possibly thrive through these challenging times. Also, students and educators should look for empowering stories to share about how people are using creative ways to get through the isolation of social distancing.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" /></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">· What are the three ingredients you would use to keep gratitude active in the classroom?</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" /></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The three ingredients a teacher should use to keep gratitude alive and growing in the classroom are:</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">1. Practice Gratitude Personally</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">As with any action or change, we need to model the behavior before we ask our students to try it. You can start with a gratitude journal, writing each day: “Thank you for ___ because___.” Apps and websites such as Greater Good Science Center (<a data-auth="NotApplicable" href="http://www.thnx4.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-image: none; border: 0px; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">www.thnx4.org</a>) can send gentle reminders and prompts to help you practice this new gratitude exercise daily.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">2. Spread Gratitude to Students</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">We can introduce the concept of gratitude to our students by starting with a gratitude list or another activity. Embedding gratitude into existing classroom activities makes the process spread more successfully into classroom culture, as well as saving precious instruction time. In social studies class, for example, students might research a historical figure who had a positive impact on the world and write about why they are grateful for that person. In English class, a teacher may have students compose a gratitude letter to someone they are grateful for, either in the school or in their family, and then, if possible, deliver the letter to the recipient.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">3. Keep Applying Gratitude</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Cultivating gratitude can bring transformative changes, but it often happens incrementally, so be patient and persistent. Encourage students to lead the initiative, changing it, and making it their own. Let their interests, strengths, and passions guide the process. Change gratitude routines to avoid “gratitude fatigue.” Keep activities fun and novel, allowing students and colleagues to create their own gratitude activities, and incorporating gratitude into art, music, science, or technology projects. One creative high school class used henna tattoos to display character traits they were grateful for in each other. When an educator and their class embrace gratitude, it can be a powerful tool to improve and energize school culture.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" /></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">o What about teenagers?</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" /></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Teenagers may pose a special challenge to the implementation of gratitude in our classrooms and families. Adolescent brains are still developing, and the last area to fully develop is the pre-frontal cortex, where executive decisions are made.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Gratitude activities can be successful with teens, but we need to be patient and flexible. Giving teens choices and independence helps. Even if we are not successful initially, don’t give up. Some teens will respond after a little time. Include them in researching new gratitude activities and let them lead us in new directions. Remember that teens may not express gratitude the way younger children do, but they still feel it and need it.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" /></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">· In one of the chapters of your book you show some of the myths related to gratitude, such as that it leads to complacency or that it is only a positive thought, what is true in those myths?</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" /></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Misconceptions and myths about gratitude prevent some people from trying gratitude. In the book, I present compelling research that shows in detail how those</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">myths are not true, but are also easy for some people to buy into. By investigating and presenting the latest scientific research, misconceptions may be dispelled. Educators may be resistant to the implementation of gratitude for a number of reasons, but by trying to create school-wide support, the application will be more successful. In addition, students may feel that gratitude is merely an obligation, but by introducing a gratitude curriculum a deeper level of practicing gratitude may be achieved. Also, to overcome the myths and resistors, we can show teachers what gratitude in the classroom may look like. Fantastic articles, blogs, and videos are available on-line, showing gratitude being implemented successfully in the classroom with a variety of activities. After these obstacles are overcome, gratitude will help shape classes and an entire school in a new and positive manner.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" /></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">How can gratitude be applied among students to try to disprove them?</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" /></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">As we use gratitude, we can relate our experience to students to counter any obstacles. Also, an educator can present gratitude and the latest scientific research to help students to overcome any resistance to using gratitude. Not only does the research confirm that gratitude works in the classroom, it also offers activities and tools. Also, readers should feel free to share stories from my book about the benefits gratitude brings to educators, students, and their families. Students are often excited about the idea of spreading gratitude to their families and communities. As I said earlier, gratitude is contagious and soon after I was successfully implementing gratitude in my class, many other teachers in my school started doing the same thing, In fact, one teacher started a “Gratitude Chain” hanging from the ceiling in the hallway. On each link, students had written something they were grateful for. Every day different teachers and students added to the gratitude chain until it went all the way down the hallway. Students were so excited seeing this every time they walked in the hallway that they kept asking if they could add their gratitude to this chain. This kind of enthusiasm powerfully dispels many of the myths and misconceptions students and teachers may hold about gratitude.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" /></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">· In his book you show that gratitude is not compatible with materialism or with believing oneself to be 'entitled to everything'. A question that is very much related to today's materialistic society. In this scenario, how can a child learn to be grateful if he believes he doesn’t need anything?</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" /></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Embracing and practicing gratitude has been shown to remedy some of the pernicious effects of materialism and entitlement. Gratitude gives us a new way of seeing the world and connecting to other people, instead of negatively tying ourselves to “things” that make us happy. In what regards are materialism and gratitude diametrically opposing forces? Gratitude focuses on the positive aspects of life and the people that make those good things possible. Conversely, materialism focuses on the “things” we think we need that will bring us happiness. Applying gratitude in our classrooms and families is</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">another powerful step to displace entitlement. Coming from a foundation of gratitude, families can undertake acts of altruism and compassion to foster gratitude and overtake feelings of entitlement. Moreover, by demonstrating gratitude as a family, we are helping to recalibrate our priorities and to eliminate those overpowering feelings of privilege. Finding an organization to contribute to or to become volunteers as a class or as a family are steps that help gratitude eclipse feelings of privilege. Even volunteering a few hours a month can bring about the desired change. Nevertheless, this change doesn’t always happen quickly. We need to be patient and realize we are trying to supersede some entrenched habits of thinking and acting.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" /></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">· You also link gratitude to responsible use of technology, what is the common ground between the two?</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" /></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">As we navigate our digital world, simple guidelines and interjecting some gratitude will help keep us centered and grounded. This will also enable us to lead our students and children to a balanced life with regard to technology. Encouraging students’ balanced use of technology and limiting screen time helps students and adults lead a more integrated life. Gratitude may be interjected into our technological lives, helping us stay grounded. We need to realize that gratitude is its own kind of technology. Unplugging from technology periodically may allow us time to reflect and become truly grateful. When we take even a few minutes away from digital distractions to focus on gratitude, we are recalibrating ourselves and becoming grounded again. Furthermore, we can think of the positive ways technology impacts our lives, such as making many aspects of our lives easier an<span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-image: none; border: 0px; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif, EmojiFont; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">d more efficient. Finally, in a positive use of technology, we can use a gratitude app on our smart phone to remind us to be grateful and make it a habit.</span></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-image: none; border: 0px; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif, EmojiFont; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" /></span></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Can gratitude redirect students' relationship with technology?</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" /></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">When we take even a few minutes away from digital distractions to focus on gratitude, we are centering ourselves and becoming grounded again. This is even more imperative when life gets hectic and our stress levels rise. One gratitude activity we can do personally and with our students is to close our eyes, take a deep breath, and think of whom we are really grateful for, why they are important to us, as well as the things they do for us. Taking just a minute and delving deeply into gratitude can refresh us and restore some sanity to our frantic day. Some of our screen time may be replaced with a gratitude activity. Could we also integrate a gratitude activity with screen time? Sure, we can have students write a text or email to someone, telling them how grateful they are for them. Also, gratitude lists on smart phones, tablets or computers are wonderful ways to count our blessings. Personally, I still keep a gratitude list I started over 20 years ago on my computer and enjoy going back and reading over the things I have been grateful for at different times in my life.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" /></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">· Although mindfulness and emotional education are becoming more widespread in schools, they are not considered compulsory subjects. What do you think about this? How can gratitude be introduced so that students recognize their emotions?</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" /></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Currently, Social Emotional Learning (SEL), including gratitude, is growing strength and traction in education. I now work at university where we train teachers in every area of education, and in every program we include the area of Social Emotional Learning. Our training and curriculum cover Social Emotional Learning and how to implement it personally and in the classroom. I see this trend and I am very encouraged by this. Research shows that Social Emotional Learning empowers academic success, as well as giving effective life skills like emotional awareness and tools to help deal with the entire range of emotions. Also, it is encouraging to see new funding to help this movement spread, but we need more. We can all help by using these ideas to start implementing gratitude in education in whatever role we play and then encourage colleagues to do the same. Feel free to contact me by email at <a data-auth="NotApplicable" href="mailto:griffitho@hotmail.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-image: none; border: 0px; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: inherit; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">griffitho@hotmail.com</a> if I can help. We can all make a ripple effect that can turn into a tidal wave that can reshape the future of education and the world in a positive way.</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" /></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">· What do the following words suggest to you? (This question can be answered with 2 or 3 synonyms)</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Appreciation-recognition, awareness</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Positive discipline-cultivation, affirmation</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Complaint-criticism, protest, grievance</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Family-powerful, love, teachers</p><p style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Teacher-guide, mentor, advisor</p>Owen M. Griffithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02698066605750960265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1277497746904085460.post-24273893808541942752021-02-26T10:47:00.001-08:002021-02-26T17:58:05.563-08:00My interview with the Spanish Education magazine, Educacion 3.0 was published this week.<p>My interview with the Spanish Education magazine, Educacion 3.0 was published this week. Here is the link to the article “La gratitud es una poderosa herramienta en cualquier aula” </p><p><a href="https://www.educaciontrespuntocero.com/noticias/41-revista-educacion-3-0/">https://www.educaciontrespuntocero.com/noticias/41-revista-educacion-3-0/</a></p><p>I will also post the interview in English in the next blog post.</p><p>Also, here is a link to my book that was translated to Spanish:</p><p><a data-auth="NotApplicable" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08L813D6P/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1" id="LPlnk" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08L813D6P/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1</a></p><p><br /></p>Owen M. Griffithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02698066605750960265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1277497746904085460.post-12017506097428260472020-12-27T05:29:00.004-08:002020-12-27T05:29:44.859-08:00 How to Be Happier for 2021<p><i> </i><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><b><u><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #201f1e; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">How to Be Happier</span></span></u></b></p><p class="x_gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; color: #201f1e; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;">1.<span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span>DO NOT FOCUS ON GOALS.<br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" />Even though you may intellectually reject the idea that happiness can be achieved or bought, you must be constantly vigilant against that internal voice that whispers, “But I would be a bit happier if only ...” One strategy to try is to reflect on those times when you were convinced that a certain accomplishment or possession would bring greater happiness, yet your life was not significantly different after you reached your goal. How many times have you had this experience? How many more are needed to finally convince you that it does not work that way?</p><p class="x_gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; color: #201f1e; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><br /></p><p class="x_gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; color: #201f1e; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;">2.<span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span>MAKE TIME TO VOLUNTEER.<br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" />People who volunteer to help those in need tend to report being happier. Perhaps it is because working with those less fortunate makes you grateful for what you have. Also, volunteering often brings satisfaction and self-esteem, because you feel engaged in worthwhile work and are appreciated by those you serve. Do not compare yourself with others who seem better off than you are, because that usually results in dissatisfaction.</p><p class="x_gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; color: #201f1e; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><br /></p><p class="x_gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; color: #201f1e; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;">3.<span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span>PRACTICE MODERATION.<br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" />If you grow too accustomed to pleasurable things, they will no longer bring you happiness. For example, you may enjoy two or three short vacations more than one long one. And you will enjoy your favorite meal more if you reserve it for a special occasion.</p><p class="x_gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; color: #201f1e; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><br /></p><p class="x_gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; color: #201f1e; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;">4.<span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span>STRIVE FOR CONTENTMENT.<br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" />Rethink your beliefs about the nature of happiness. Experiences of great pleasure or joy stand out in memory, and it is easy to conclude that being truly happy means being in that state most or all of the time. The very reason you savor and remember such an experience, however, is because it is not the norm. Instead of equating happiness with peak experiences, you would do better to think of happiness as a state of contentment and relative lack of anxiety or regret.</p><p class="x_gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; color: #201f1e; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in;"><br /></p><p class="x_gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; color: #201f1e; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in;">5.<span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: inherit; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span>PRACTICE LIVING IN THE MOMENT.<br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" />Start small by focusing on your sensory experience while engaged in a routine task. Over time, spend less energy thinking about the past or the future.</p><p class="x_MsoNormal" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; color: #201f1e; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 16.8667px; margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.25in;">--Originally published: Scientific American MIND 18( 1); 36-43 (February/ March 2007).</p><div><br /></div><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #201f1e; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div>Owen M. Griffithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02698066605750960265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1277497746904085460.post-15386598740984664232020-12-07T11:16:00.001-08:002020-12-07T11:18:16.651-08:00Updated Blog-Try Gratitude and Impove your Life
<p style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.25in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 0.6pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Would you like to improve your
life? Try gratitude, it is one of the most powerful tools that I know. Gratitude
has empowered me to appreciate everyone in my life more, grow in my profession
and improve my well-being. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 0.6pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.25in;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-color-alt: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In addition, gratitude as a practice, is a call to
action to be a caring individual, cultivates clarity of mind, moves us away
from wants and worries, builds our capacity for forgiveness, grows generosity,
and helps us respond to difficult situations constructively and with <a name="_ftnref1"></a>resilience.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 0.6pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; margin: 12pt 0in 0in; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #4a4a4a; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Gratitude
Journal</span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 0.6pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">To get started with gratitude, you can choose from a
number of gratitude activities at the Greater Good Science Center’s website, </span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://ggia.berkeley.edu/#filters=gratitude"><span style="font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 0.6pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">https://ggia.berkeley.edu/#filters=gratitude</span></a></span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 0.6pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">. An effective and research-based method is a gratitude
journal. You could start your gratitude journal with being thankful for being
alive, for having food to eat and clothes to wear. If you can think about someone
you're grateful for, that's even more powerful, as gratitude can strengthen and
improve our relationships. Here is an example you may use:</span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Thanks
for ___________________________ because__________________________.<span style="letter-spacing: 0.6pt;"></span></span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 0.6pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The more specific and the deeper we dive into this
activity, the more powerful it will be. For example, instead of writing, “Thanks
for lunch,” you could write, “Thanks for lunch because the tomatoes and lettuce
in my salad <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>were delicious and for the
cool, sweet iced tea on this hot day, as well as time with friends.”</span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 0.6pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">You can also use a gratitude app on your smart phone. Here
is a link to 9 possible gratitude apps: </span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://www.happierhuman.com/gratitude-app/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 0.6pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">https://www.happierhuman.com/gratitude-app/</span></a></span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 0.6pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; margin: 12pt 0in 0in; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #4a4a4a; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Exercising
the Gratitude Muscle</span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 0.6pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Gratitude seems to work like a muscle and writing a
gratitude list helps develop our gratitude muscles. Professor Philip
Watkins of Eastern Washington University says that </span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="http://www.springerpub.com/positive-psychology-101.html"><span style="color: #00a7e1; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 0.6pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">those who are the least grateful seem to gain the most
from making this effort</span></a></span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 0.6pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">.
That’s good news to those us who may find it hard to start a gratitude list.</span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; margin: 12pt 0in 0in; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #4a4a4a; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Visible
Change</span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 0.6pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Recent research by two leaders in the field of gratitude
and education, Dr. Robert Emmons and Dr. Jeffrey Froh, supports the idea that
gratitude improves the lives of <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>adults
and students. They have found several benefits for students and adults.</span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 0.6pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Keeping a gratitude journal enables both students and
adults to be more optimistic, experience more social satisfaction,
exercise more often, have less envy and depression, have fewer physical
complaints, grow in resilience and sleep better.</span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 0.6pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Keeping a gratitude journal on a daily basis helps
students achieve higher grades; higher goals; more satisfaction with
relationships, life, and school; less materialism; and more willingness to give
back.</span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; margin: 12pt 0in 0in; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #4a4a4a; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Tapping
into the Potential of Gratitude</span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0.25in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 0.6pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I challenge you to try it yourself and see how it works.
My friends who have written a daily gratitude journal for at least two weeks
speak positively of the experience. Gratitude has transformed many lives. What
we focus on in life grows and our focus on gratitude can stimulate new positive
growth. For me, the fruits of the focus on gratitude are happiness and
well-being. Finally, check out </span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="www.gratefulness.org" target="_blank"><span style="color: #00a7e1; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 0.6pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Gratefulness.org</span></a></span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; letter-spacing: 0.6pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> for extra gratitude resources.</span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 12.0pt; margin: 12pt 0in 0in; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: #4a4a4a; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Research</span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 51.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 11.25pt 51pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Jeffrey J. Froh, William J.
Sefick, Robert A. Emmons, </span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="http://people.hofstra.edu/jeffrey_j_froh/files/JSP523_Final_2.11.08.pdf"><span style="color: #00a7e1; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Counting
blessings in early adolescents: An experimental study of gratitude and
subjective well-being</span></a></span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, <i>Journal of
School Psychology</i> 46 (2008), pp.213-233 (PDF, 410KB).</span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 51.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 11.25pt 51pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Jeffrey J. Froh, Robert A.
Emmons, Noel A. Card, Giacomo Bono, Jennifer A. Wilson, </span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="http://people.hofstra.edu/jeffrey_j_froh/spring%202010%20web/10.1007_s10902-010-9195-9%5B1%5D.pdf"><span style="color: #00a7e1; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Gratitude
and the Reduced Costs of Materialism in Adolescents</span></a></span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, <i>Journal
of Happiness Studies</i>, Volume 12, No. 2, 2011 (PDF, 356KB).</span></p>
<p style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 11.25pt; margin-left: 51.0pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in 0in 11.25pt 51pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Robert Emmons, </span><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_gratitude_can_help_you_through_hard_times"><span style="color: #00a7e1; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">How
Gratitude Can Get You Through Hard Times</span></a></span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, <i>Greater
Good: The Science of a Meaningful Life</i>, May 13, 2013.</span></p>
Owen M. Griffithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02698066605750960265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1277497746904085460.post-80420265410871485882020-04-25T09:34:00.002-07:002020-04-25T09:34:10.191-07:00Gratitude: A Way of Teaching is available now in Spanish: Gratitud y Educacion<br />
My book, <i>Gratitude: A Way of Teaching</i>, was just translated and published in Spanish. The title is <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/8427726902/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1">Gratitud y Educacion</a> </i>and here is the link to the book on Amazon:<br />
<i></i><i></i><br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/8427726902/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1">https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/8427726902/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1</a><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Owen M. Griffithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02698066605750960265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1277497746904085460.post-56740401495431741372020-04-18T12:49:00.001-07:002020-04-19T04:35:38.627-07:00My eCourse is now free-This is a great way to stay Grateful through COVID19<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gratefulness.org is now offering my five-session <a href="https://learn.gratefulness.org/product/gratitude-way-teaching/">eCourse</a> for free for everyone. This is a perfect way to keep energized through this time of COVID19 and interject some gratitude into your life and the lives of those around you!</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #2d2c2a; font-family: "alright sans" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">This <a href="https://learn.gratefulness.org/product/gratitude-way-teaching/">eCourse </a>will include practical, research-based activities and a new gratitude curriculum shared by educator and author, Owen Griffith. Owen’s book, </span><em style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: currentColor; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-image-outset: 0; border-image-repeat: stretch; border-image-slice: 100%; border-image-source: none; border-image-width: 1; border-left-color: currentColor; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: currentColor; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: currentColor; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2c2a; font-family: &quot; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; outline-color: invert; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Gratitude: A Way of Teaching</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #2d2c2a; font-family: "alright sans" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">, will offer structure to help guide the course as we create opportunities for educators to explore gratitude as a way to improve class culture; academic and social success for students; and resilience and satisfaction in students and educators alike. These are tense and challenging times with COVID19 affecting us all in new ways daily! The safety of our kids and ourselves is imperative and having tools that uplifts and strengthens what is going right is essential. Gratitude has a role to play in building resilience and reducing stress, especially during these extremely challenges times. So, join our class and take action now to improve your life. Here is the link, <a href="https://learn.gratefulness.org/product/gratitude-way-teaching/" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #0066cc; font-family: &quot; font-size: 17px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">eCourse</a> and comments.</span><br />
<br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: #222222; font-family: Arial,Tahoma,Helvetica,FreeSans,sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 110%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2c2a; font-family: alright-light,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 30px; margin-bottom: 23px; margin-top: 23px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ff6600;">Gratitude: A Way of Teaching<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> should be required reading for teachers, administrators, parents, and anyone else who has a stake in our children’s future. You will be challenged, edified, and stirred to take a fresh look at this timeless virtue and see why we owe our children the gift of gratitude.</span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 110%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2c2a; font-family: alright-light,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 30px; margin-bottom: 23px; margin-top: 23px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #ff6600;">~</span><span style="color: #ff6600;"> </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ff6600; font-family: , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Robert A. Emmons</span><span style="color: #ff6600;">, Editor-in-Chief,</span><span style="color: #ff6600;"> </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ff6600; font-family: , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Journal of Positive Psychology</span><span style="color: #ff6600;">; author of</span><span style="color: #ff6600;"> </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ff6600; font-family: , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Gratitude Works!</span><span style="color: #ff6600;"> </span><span style="color: #ff6600;">and</span><span style="color: #ff6600;"> </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ff6600; font-family: , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Thanks! How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 110%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2c2a; font-family: alright-light,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 30px; margin-bottom: 23px; margin-top: 23px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ff6600;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In a time of tests, accountability, and burnout, </span>Gratitude: A Way of Teaching<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> beautifully encourages teachers and students to connect to their own and each other’s humanity by stopping for a moment and asking, “What is wonderful about life?”</span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 110%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2c2a; font-family: alright-light,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 30px; margin-bottom: 23px; margin-top: 23px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ff6600;">~ <span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Vicki Zakrzewski</span>, PhD, Education Director, Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 110%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2c2a; font-family: alright-light,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 30px; margin-bottom: 23px; margin-top: 23px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ff6600;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In </span>Gratitude: A Way of Teaching<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">, Owen M. Griffith does a superb job at giving teachers practical strategies for making their students grateful. Following these strategies, and with patience and persistence, we can significantly influence the children in our own personal worlds. And, if we do, that will influence programs, clubs, schools, and other institutions in the community, too….Our society needs this more than ever. </span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 110%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2c2a; font-family: alright-light,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 30px; margin-bottom: 23px; margin-top: 23px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ff6600;">~ <span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jeffrey J. Froh</span>, Associate Professor, Hoffstra University and co-author of <span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Making Grateful Kids: The Science of Building Character</span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 110%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2c2a; font-family: alright-light,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 30px; margin-bottom: 23px; margin-top: 23px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ff6600;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In a very practical way, Owen M. Griffith shows us how gratitude can be incorporated into the schools. Filled with inspiring examples and many practical suggestions, </span>Gratitude: A Way of Teaching<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> can be used to improve the gratitude of students in your classroom, and perhaps more importantly, it should help teachers generate a more grateful attitude toward their students.</span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 110%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2c2a; font-family: alright-light,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 30px; margin-bottom: 23px; margin-top: 23px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ff6600;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 110%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.4; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2c2a; font-family: alright-light,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 17px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 30px; margin-bottom: 23px; margin-top: 23px; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ff6600;">~ <span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Philip Watkins</span>, Professor of Psychology, Eastern Washington University</span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />Owen M. Griffithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02698066605750960265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1277497746904085460.post-7363900090273696942020-02-03T17:11:00.002-08:002020-02-03T17:11:49.206-08:00Gratitude Can Rewire Your Brain.<br />
I am so excited, I found a compelling and powerful article about how "Gratitude Can Rewire Your Brain." So, please read it when you get a chance and keep practicing gratitude and reaping the benefits!<br />
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/u/1/goog_759310001"></a><br />
<a href="https://fee.org/articles/how-gratitude-can-rewire-your-brain-for-happiness-and-success/">https://fee.org/articles/how-gratitude-can-rewire-your-brain-for-happiness-and-success/</a>Owen M. Griffithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02698066605750960265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1277497746904085460.post-3933283236744493862019-09-25T16:21:00.003-07:002019-09-25T16:21:24.421-07:00Gratitude Poem by Kurt Vonnegut<br />
<div style="margin-top: 24.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I found this poem today and love it. This was one of the last things Kurt Vonnegut wrote and it is powerful. Enjoy and share!</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-top: 24.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Joe Heller</span></strong><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-top: 24.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">True
story, Word of Honor:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-top: 24.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Joseph
Heller, an important and funny writer<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-top: 24.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">now
dead,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-top: 24.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">and
I were at a party given by a billionaire<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-top: 24.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">on
Shelter Island.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-top: 24.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.84);"><span style="color: black;">I said, “Joe, how does it make you feel</span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.84); margin-top: 24.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: large;">to know that our
host only yesterday <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.84); margin-top: 24.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">may have made more money<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.84); margin-top: 24.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">than your novel ‘Catch-22’<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.84); margin-top: 24.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">has earned in its entire history?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.84); margin-top: 24.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">And Joe said, “I’ve got something he can never have.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.84); margin-top: 24.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">And I said, “What on earth could that be, Joe?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.84); margin-top: 24.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">And Joe said, “The knowledge that I’ve got enough.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.84); margin-top: 24.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Not bad! Rest in peace!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.84); margin-top: 24.0pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">— Kurt Vonnegut<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.84); margin-top: 24.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><em><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, serif;">The New Yorker</span></em><span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, serif;">, May 16th, 2005<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />Owen M. Griffithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02698066605750960265noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1277497746904085460.post-15714868940520749132019-09-18T06:45:00.001-07:002019-09-18T06:45:42.593-07:00Powerful videos to help children<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Here is a link to some fantastic videos from the Greater Good Science Center on helping kids in a number of important areas, like feeling loved, being honest and feeling </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">compassion:</span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/video">https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/video</a>Owen M. Griffithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02698066605750960265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1277497746904085460.post-623493986237073142019-08-15T12:17:00.000-07:002019-08-15T12:17:14.315-07:00<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="2t7fg" data-offset-key="3hlt9-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="3hlt9-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This will be a short post today because I know this is the busy time of year. This post goes out to all the truly amazing teachers who are back in the classroom or will be soon. Right now, at my current job at WGU, I have the pleasure of helping about 100 college students become teachers. Today, I found a great article on </span><a href="https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_to_fall_in_love_with_teaching_again?utm_source=Greater+Good+Science+Center&utm_campaign=3772091acd-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_GG_Newsletter_Aug_14_2019&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_5ae73e326e-3772091acd-51132839" style="font-family: inherit;">"How to Fall In Love with Teaching Again"</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> and wanted to share it. Thanks to all the inspirational educators out there who are helping reshape the future of our planet!</span></div>
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="3hlt9-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;">
<span data-offset-key="3hlt9-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="2t7fg" data-offset-key="28l1a-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="28l1a-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Owen M. Griffithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02698066605750960265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1277497746904085460.post-87497057047794103442019-03-06T08:39:00.002-08:002020-04-18T12:47:32.879-07:00<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gratefulness.org is offering my five-session <a href="https://learn.gratefulness.org/product/gratitude-way-teaching/">eCourse</a> for educators on-demand now. A perfect way to keep energized through the school year and interject some gratitude into your life!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #2d2c2a; font-family: "alright sans" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">This <a href="https://learn.gratefulness.org/product/gratitude-way-teaching/">eCourse </a>will include practical, research-based activities and a new gratitude curriculum shared by educator and author, Owen Griffith. Owen’s book, </span><em style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2c2a; font-family: "Alright Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Gratitude: A Way of Teaching</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #2d2c2a; font-family: "alright sans" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">, will offer structure to help guide the course as we create opportunities for educators to explore gratitude as a way to improve class culture; academic and social success for students; and resilience and satisfaction in students and educators alike. These are tense and challenging times. The safety of our kids and a classroom culture that uplifts and strengthens what is going right is essential. Gratitude has a role to play in building resilience and reducing stress.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #1c1e21; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>Owen M. Griffithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02698066605750960265noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1277497746904085460.post-48167921980547745682018-10-28T14:05:00.002-07:002018-10-28T14:05:51.769-07:00Guest Blog by Aaryn Birchell-"It's a Trick, but a Treat!"<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px;">
<b><i><u>It's a Trick, but a Treat!</u></i></b></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px;">
By: Aaryn Birchell</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="x_docs-internal-guid-88a5d873-7fff-b7bf-fe2a-3cd424b67873"></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Grandma Snow had a non-negotiable Halloween tradition. If you wanted a treat, you had to do a trick. Whether it was playing a song on her piano, or reciting a poem, or doing a handstand, we prepared a trick before we knocked on her door. Though I would start off feeling pretty silly playing a piano song in my butterfly costume, Grandma’s clapping and, “Thank you for your performance!” made me feel pretty good, even better than the treat of a honey-sweet popcorn ball.</span></div>
<br style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px;" />
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Years later I was sitting in my classroom wondering what to do. Though I started every day with a burst of positive energy and taught my students with unending excitement for literature and communication, my students resented my rigor. I cut down the amount of essays and novels from the previous teacher, but they complained about every step of the process.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I had a culture problem in my Sophomore English class.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“We really like you as a person . . .we just really hate your class.”</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ouch.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Some students approached the class with a great attitude, but the majority’s destructive complaining affected my students’ learning and emotional health. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How does one force teenagers to have a good attitude?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">That’s the trick.</span></div>
<br style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px;" />
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My summer focused on looking for ways to influence my classroom culture. But giving my students every part of me had me feeling pretty burned out. The thought of doing More and MORE felt overwhelming. Hence my criteria</span></div>
<ol style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Effective</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cheap </span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Simple </span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Quite the Trick indeed.</span></div>
<br style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px;" />
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Enter Gratitude! I read how gratitude opens learning and floods the brain with positive hormones that actually help students learn more. It promotes better sleep, better relationships, better overall health. </span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Effective? Check!</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cheap? Check!</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Simple? . . . .Hmmm. I imagined the first day of school telling a bunch of teeagers, “Just be grateful!” and watch their jaded and resentful eyes narrow in.</span></div>
<br style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px;" />
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">However, deep down, my students needed gratitude. I needed it too.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fast forward a few months and I had my “simple to implement” method figured out. To avoid a logistical nightmare, “The Gratitude Tracker” is a simple grid sheet with five columns for the school days in a week and three rows for the weeks. Each box is numbered</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A glance revealed my students’ gratitude. I kept the criteria simple. As long as there were five words written down each day, (It could even be the same 5 words every day) they got the participation points. I also warned them that they could not just fill in a bunch in one day. The benefit was from the daily practice.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Some kids thought it was dumb. No worries. “This is a simple thing that will get you points that will improve your grade.” Avoiding the “Just be grateful” trap, I taught them how this practice will help their brains learn more in class with less effort and longer retention. It was all about learning.</span></div>
<br style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px;" />
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Soon this little trick became a treat. Students started talking about what they were going to write down as they shared their gratitude observations with others. Some students self selected to write down something different each day. Other students started looking for things to write down in the gratitude tracker as they went throughout the day. My daughter when she was in my class loved cold cereal and tried to come up with as many different types of cold cereals that she could find just to see how long she could go.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The method didn’t matter.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kids were practicing the powerful <b>behavior</b> of gratitude.</span></div>
<br style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px;" />
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Most importantly, our classroom culture changed. Same teacher using the same stories and poems, but the overall attitude of the class about the learning improved! Now I will never say that ALL students loved EVERY day in my classroom. I still have students who occasionally resent the rigor, but enrollment in the advanced classes went from two sections offered at my school to needing five sections. Yes, the class is challenging, but so many former student said it was really worth it.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And the treat?</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Increased learning.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Better emotional health and attitude about learning.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">More thank you notes at the end of the year than I had ever received before. </span></div>
<br style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px;" />
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Grandma knew what she was doing those many years ago. If you want a treat, you have to do a little trick.</span></div>
<br style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px;" />
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px;">
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 13.3333px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Aaryn Birchell’s B</b></span><b>io:</b></div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px;">
<span id="x_docs-internal-guid-e1a04d05-7fff-59ee-14dc-a33043523a7d"></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.54286; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 10.5pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span id="x_docs-internal-guid-e1a04d05-7fff-59ee-14dc-a33043523a7d"></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.54286; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Draped on the wall in lace and burlap a sign in Mrs. Aaryn Birchell’s classroom asks, “Does your Grit have Gratitude?” Modeling this mindset with eager eyes, endless energy and a “You-can-do-it!” attitude, she champions and celebrates students. As the 2018 Utah Teacher of the Year, Aaryn continues that advocacy for students statewide to help address the teacher shortage while supporting a citizen initiative that would bring additional funding to education.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.54286; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Aaryn honed her teaching skills after earning her degree by volunteering at the Utah State University Writing Center and working as a substitute teacher for twelve years. When a part-time position teaching advanced sophomore English classes opened at her alma mater, Uintah High, she jumped at the chance to teach emerging adults the beauty of life through world literature. </span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">Now teaching full time, she has additional responsibility and joy teaching AP Literature.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.54286; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 10.5pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">In school, Aaryn advoc</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">at</span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">es by listen</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ing to overwhelmed teen</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">s and arr</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 10.5pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">anging ove</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">r eighteen service projects for Honor Society; by coordinating a scholarship writing workshop and teaching ACT prep classes; by decorating for Prom late into the night and co-writing the annual Senior Poem. </span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.54286; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 10.5pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">In her community, she serves as a board member of the Uintah Literacy Commission and as former </span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">director of the Vernal Storytelling Festival, constantly looking for opportunities to connect a well-lived life to literacy. </span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.54286; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In her professional affiliations, her service on the local and state Education Agencies demonstrates the grit needed to advocate for the teaching profession also enriches the lives of her students and her own family.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.54286; margin-bottom: 15pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 10.5pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">In her home, she shares her deep gratitude for the joy that teaching brings with her husband Garn and their four kids, often nestling them under a tree in the Uint</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">ah</span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Ba</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 10.5pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">sin </span><span style="font-size: 10pt;">she calls home. </span></span></div>
Owen M. Griffithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02698066605750960265noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1277497746904085460.post-57659043689788738452018-08-30T12:38:00.000-07:002018-08-30T12:38:25.170-07:00eCourse-Gratitude-A Way of Teaching is now On-Demand<span style="font-size: large;">Check out my new On-Demand eCourse </span><br />
<a href="https://gratefulness.org/blog/gratitude-a-way-of-teaching-an-ecourse-for-educators/"><span style="font-size: large;">Gratitude-A Way of Teaching</span></a><br />
<br />
Here are a few recommendations from the book, Gratitude-A Way of Teaching, that goes with this eCourse:<br />
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2c2a; font-family: alright-light, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; margin-bottom: 23px; margin-top: 23px;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ff6600;">“Gratitude: A Way of Teaching<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: alright-lightitalic, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> should be required reading for teachers, administrators, parents, and anyone else who has a stake in our children’s future. You will be challenged, edified, and stirred to take a fresh look at this timeless virtue and see why we owe our children the gift of gratitude.</span>”</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2c2a; font-family: alright-light, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; margin-bottom: 23px; margin-top: 23px;">
<span style="color: #ff6600;">~</span><span style="color: #ff6600;"> </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ff6600; font-family: alright-medium, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Robert A. Emmons</span><span style="color: #ff6600;">, Editor-in-Chief,</span><span style="color: #ff6600;"> </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ff6600; font-family: alright-lightitalic, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Journal of Positive Psychology</span><span style="color: #ff6600;">; author of</span><span style="color: #ff6600;"> </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ff6600; font-family: alright-lightitalic, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Gratitude Works!</span><span style="color: #ff6600;"> </span><span style="color: #ff6600;">and</span><span style="color: #ff6600;"> </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ff6600; font-family: alright-lightitalic, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thanks! How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2c2a; font-family: alright-light, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; margin-bottom: 23px; margin-top: 23px;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ff6600;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: alright-lightitalic, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In a time of tests, accountability, and burnout, </span>Gratitude: A Way of Teaching<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: alright-lightitalic, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> beautifully encourages teachers and students to connect to their own and each other’s humanity by stopping for a moment and asking, “What is wonderful about life?”</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2c2a; font-family: alright-light, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; margin-bottom: 23px; margin-top: 23px;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ff6600;">~ <span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: alright-medium, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Vicki Zakrzewski</span>, PhD, Education Director, Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2c2a; font-family: alright-light, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; margin-bottom: 23px; margin-top: 23px;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ff6600;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: alright-lightitalic, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In </span>Gratitude: A Way of Teaching<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: alright-lightitalic, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, Owen M. Griffith does a superb job at giving teachers practical strategies for making their students grateful. Following these strategies, and with patience and persistence, we can significantly influence the children in our own personal worlds. And, if we do, that will influence programs, clubs, schools, and other institutions in the community, too….Our society needs this more than ever. </span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2c2a; font-family: alright-light, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; margin-bottom: 23px; margin-top: 23px;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ff6600;">~ <span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: alright-medium, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jeffrey J. Froh</span>, Associate Professor, Hoffstra University and co-author of <span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: alright-lightitalic, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Making Grateful Kids: The Science of Building Character</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2c2a; font-family: alright-light, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; margin-bottom: 23px; margin-top: 23px;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ff6600;">“<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: alright-lightitalic, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In a very practical way, Owen M. Griffith shows us how gratitude can be incorporated into the schools. Filled with inspiring examples and many practical suggestions, </span>Gratitude: A Way of Teaching<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: alright-lightitalic, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> can be used to improve the gratitude of students in your classroom, and perhaps more importantly, it should help teachers generate a more grateful attitude toward their students.</span>”</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2c2a; font-family: alright-light, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; margin-bottom: 23px; margin-top: 23px;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ff6600;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: alright-lightitalic, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d2c2a; font-family: alright-light, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; margin-bottom: 23px; margin-top: 23px;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #ff6600;">~ <span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: alright-medium, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Philip Watkins</span>, Professor of Psychology, Eastern Washington University</span></div>
Owen M. Griffithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02698066605750960265noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1277497746904085460.post-50851548483446816032018-08-25T11:43:00.002-07:002018-08-25T11:43:50.533-07:00Blog-Confession of an Author<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
A couple years ago, I wrote a book, and if you are reading
my blog, you can see it at the top of the page. Writing that book felt like climbing
Mt. Everest, but I am glad I did it, and I am still hearing how it is helping
teachers. Recently, a colleague in training in Utah told me that she heard a speaker,
the Utah State Teacher of the Year, say that reading my book helped her, and that
implementing a gratitude list with her students transformed her high school
English class.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">But, just when I thought I had made this big accomplishment, life reminded
me to stay humble (which leads to more gratitude for me). Here are a couple
little anecdotes that I found amusing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">The local library purchased my book and put it in their collection. I
took my son, who was 7 at the time, to the library and walked down the aisle
and asked, “What would you think if Daddy’s book was in this library?” I wanted
to surprise him. His eyes lit up and he said, “Really Daddy-that would be so
cool.” So, I found my book, pulled it out and showed it to him. He looked at it
and said, “You get the award for having the most boring book in this library.
Next time, don’t write about gratitude, write about Super-Heroes.” I laughed so
hard! I did show him that his name was in the dedication in the book, and
finally he was impressed. In hindsight, I should have told him, </span>“My book
is about Super-Heroes; it’s about teachers.” Nothing could be truer.<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Recently, they featured local authors at the library (I go to my local
library too much). I was walking past the display and saw a woman pick up my
book and leaf through it. I had to smile and hold back the urge to say, “That
is my book, do you know how much work I put into it?” But, I just walked by and
let her peruse it. I have to admit that I was disappointed when I saw her put
it back and move on to another book. I should have stopped and talked to her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Finally, I ran across a gentleman last week who had come to one of my
talks and brought a book a couple years ago. He came up to me with a smile and
said, “I bought one of you books a couple years ago… Can I have my money back?”
I had to laugh, but it all ended in a positive way. He had brought it for a
friend who was a teacher, and she was gone. However, he ended up deciding to
donate my book to a local school. So,</span> whatever comes your way, keep
everything in perspective, and take it with a large dose of gratitude.<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Owen M. Griffithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02698066605750960265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1277497746904085460.post-51308548872001646102018-07-11T05:52:00.004-07:002018-07-11T05:52:56.507-07:00Podcast on Forgiveness and a 9 Step Process<div style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, EmojiFont, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", NotoColorEmoji, "Segoe UI Symbol", "Android Emoji", EmojiSymbols; font-size: 16px;">
I really enjoyed this Podcast on "Forgiveness" and the woman who works in prisons and on Navajo reservations to help people in this process. One thing that is surprising in the "9 Step Forgiveness Process" is that you can experience the healing of forgiveness without the other person saying, "I'm sorry." </div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, EmojiFont, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", NotoColorEmoji, "Segoe UI Symbol", "Android Emoji", EmojiSymbols; font-size: 16px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif, EmojiFont, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", NotoColorEmoji, "Segoe UI Symbol", "Android Emoji", EmojiSymbols; font-size: 16px;">
<a class="OWAAutoLink" href="https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/podcasts/item/forgive_your_father" id="LPlnk179351" previewremoved="true">https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/podcasts/item/forgive_your_father</a></div>
Owen M. Griffithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02698066605750960265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1277497746904085460.post-28537834302737964532018-05-31T06:41:00.001-07:002018-05-31T06:43:38.643-07:00Can Gratitude Help Couples Through Hard Times?<br />
<header class="article-head" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "FreightText Pro", sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 30px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"><h2 class="article-title" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1; margin: 0px 0px 19px; max-width: 97%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 50px 0px 0px;">
<span style="font-size: large;">From Greater Good Science Center's Magazine:</span></h2>
<h2 class="article-title" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1; margin: 0px 0px 19px; max-width: 97%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 50px 0px 0px;">
New research suggests that thanking our partners for supporting us through hardship may increase their joy and satisfaction in giving.</h2>
<span class="article-meta" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #6f6f6f; display: block; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-transform: uppercase;">BY <a href="https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/profile/jill_suttie" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #c6341b; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none;">JILL SUTTIE</a> | MAY 24, 2018</span><ul class="list-actions" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 24px; list-style: none outside none; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; right: 0px; top: 10px;">
<li class="hidden-sm hidden-xs" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><a aria-label="Print" href="https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/can_gratitude_help_couples_through_hard_times?utm_source=Greater+Good+Science+Center&utm_campaign=048ef19610-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_GG_Newsletter_May+30+2018&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_5ae73e326e-048ef19610-51132839#" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span aria-hidden="true" class="fa fa-print" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; font-family: "fontawesome"; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="sr-only" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clip: rect(0px, 0px, 0px, 0px); height: 1px; margin: -1px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: absolute; width: 1px;">Print</span></span></a></li>
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><a class="link-popup" href="https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/_ajax/login-popup" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; cursor: pointer; display: inline; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span aria-hidden="true" aria-label="Bookmark" class="fa fa-bookmark-o" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #3b5998; display: inline-block; font-family: "fontawesome"; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="sr-only" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clip: rect(0px, 0px, 0px, 0px); height: 1px; margin: -1px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: absolute; width: 1px;">Bookmark</span></span></a></li>
</ul>
</header><br />
<div class="article-body" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<div class="article-entry" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(221, 213, 199); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 82px;">
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "freighttext pro", sans-serif; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
When my best friend went through multiple surgeries and dislocations following a botched hip replacement, she was in near-constant pain. Her husband rose to the challenge of caring for her, but it wasn’t always easy for him. Nor was it easy for my friend, who vacillated between gratitude and frustration over his care. </div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "freighttext pro", sans-serif; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
“I often had to ask for help, which didn’t feel great,” my friend told me. “I felt apologetic, but I didn’t have much choice. It’s hard to give, but it’s also hard to ask.”</div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "freighttext pro", sans-serif; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
Care taking for someone can be a challenge, but it’s especially charged when their needs are frequent and long-term. A caregiver may feel obligated to help, but doing so may bring little joy or sense of meaning, making it hard to sustain. And it can be equally stressful for the receiver of care.Our close relationships are an important part of a meaningful life. But what happens when someone we love is sick or going through a very rough time, and we are called upon to be a helper over and over again?</div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "freighttext pro", sans-serif; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
How can couples improve this dynamic? New research suggests that what <em style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">motivates</em> people to help is crucial—and that motivation is affected by both their interactions with the person they’re caring for and their life outside caregiving.</div>
<h2 style="box-sizing: border-box; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 36px; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.1; margin: 0px 0px 13px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
Why do you help?</h2>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "freighttext pro", sans-serif; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
Researchers who study motivation identify two basic types: <em style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">autonomous</em> or <em style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">intrinsic motivation</em>—when you do something because it brings you joy, satisfaction, or meaning—and <em style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">controlled</em> or <em style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">extrinsic motivation</em>—when you do something out of loyalty or because you’d feel guilty if you didn’t do it. Either way, you end up helping, but autonomous motivation feels better and leads to better outcomes. </div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "freighttext pro", sans-serif; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
In studies looking at caregiving situations like my friend’s, researchers <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25929153" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #c6341b; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none;">found</a> that caregivers who had more intrinsic motivation to help their sick partners felt happier, more satisfied with their relationship, and less distressed about caregiving, and were less prone to exhaustion, than those who helped out of a sense of duty. Interestingly, the partner being cared for <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26963846" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #c6341b; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none;">also seemed to benefit</a>: They were more satisfied with their relationship and, in some cases, felt greater pain relief.</div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "freighttext pro", sans-serif; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
Why would the internal motivations of helpers affect their partners? Sara Kindt, one of the coauthors of these studies, says it has to do with how motivation affects the caregivers’ responsiveness toward their partner.</div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "freighttext pro", sans-serif; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
“Autonomously motivated partners are more open, curious, and sincerely receptive to a partners’ preferences and needs,” she says. “In contrast, a partner’s controlled helping motivation might be associated with reacting in a more restrictive, less responsive way.”</div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "freighttext pro", sans-serif; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
That may be well and good, but isn’t your motivation out of your control? It turns out <a href="https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/662d/10fd0a1d3fd82b3769b78b8fa8e30cd5a410.pdf" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #c6341b; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none;">it’s not</a>—at least not entirely. Instead, it might be possible to nudge it in a more autonomous direction with gratitude.</div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "freighttext pro", sans-serif; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
In a <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11031-017-9635-5" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #c6341b; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none;">recent study</a> by Kindt and her colleagues, couples—where one member suffered from a painful condition called fibromyalgia and the other was a frequent caregiver—filled out daily questionnaires for two weeks. The caregivers reported on what motivated them to help their partners, whether they thought their partners were grateful, and to what degree helping kept them from fulfilling personal goals that day—like maintaining relationships with others, enjoying leisure time, working, or taking care of their own health.</div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "freighttext pro", sans-serif; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
Researchers found that on days when caregivers perceived more gratitude from their partners, their motivation to help was significantly more autonomous. It was less autonomous when they felt thwarted in fulfilling their goals—probably no surprise there. However, perceiving gratitude also had carryover effects, making caregivers more intrinsically motivated to help the next day, too. Conflicts with personal goals had no such carryover effects.</div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "freighttext pro", sans-serif; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
“Gratitude is a powerful thing,” says Kindt. “Like the title of a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20515249" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #c6341b; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none;">paper</a> by Adam Grant suggests, ‘A little thanks goes a long way.’”</div>
<h2 style="box-sizing: border-box; color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 36px; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.1; margin: 0px 0px 13px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
How to give and receive</h2>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "freighttext pro", sans-serif; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
What might this mean for couples going through hard times? According to Kindt, it helps show that preserving a positive relationship during caregiving is important for the well-being of both caregivers and care receivers, and that giving and receiving gratitude could be the glue that helps do that.<br />
<br style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" />
Still, it might be hard to feel grateful when you’re in pain or feeling down. My friend suggested that it was difficult for her when she sensed her husband was not anticipating her needs as well as he could or trying to get by doing the minimum.</div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "freighttext pro", sans-serif; font-size: 20px; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
“It was usually easy to say thank you, and I did tell him I was grateful,” she said. “But I didn’t feel an uncomplicated gratitude. It was more like, ‘<em style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">Thank you, but I wish it was different</em>.’”</div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 24px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<div style="font-family: "freighttext pro", sans-serif; font-size: 20px;">
You can’t force gratitude—otherwise, it can feel more like an expression of indebtedness, which <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02699930500172291?journalCode=pcem20" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #c6341b; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none;">does not result in the same benefits</a> as authentic gratitude. And, if other people pick up on our ambivalence, it might be hard for them to accept our gratitude as real.</div>
<div style="font-family: "freighttext pro", sans-serif; font-size: 20px;">
<br style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;" /></div>
<div style="font-family: "freighttext pro", sans-serif; font-size: 20px;">
In these moments, perhaps it would be helpful to recognize our difficult situation and try <a href="https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/expressive_writing" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #c6341b; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none;">expressive writing</a>, which <a href="https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_to_journal_through_your_struggles" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #c6341b; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none;">can be a good way to explore painful emotions</a>—like disappointment, sadness, or anger—and find more compassion for ourselves and others. Doing so may open the door to more positive emotions—like gratitude.</div>
<div style="font-family: "freighttext pro", sans-serif; font-size: 20px;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: freighttext pro, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 20px;"><a href="https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/quizzes/take_quiz/gratitude">Gratitude Quiz</a></span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
Owen M. Griffithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02698066605750960265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1277497746904085460.post-79141615722677432652018-05-01T04:46:00.000-07:002018-05-01T04:47:08.795-07:00<br />
<header class="page-title" style="border-bottom: 3px solid rgb(235, 235, 235); box-sizing: inherit; font-family: "Gotham A", "Gotham B", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><h1 style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #002e40; font-family: filosofia_otbold, Georgia, serif; font-size: 3em; line-height: 1; margin: 0px 0px 15px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
Research Insights from Independent Schools Magazine: Improving Teacher Well-Being</h1>
</header><article class="article-wrapper" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: "Gotham A", "Gotham B", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; padding: 10px 0px 10px 55px;"><img alt="" src="https://www.nais.org/media/Nais/Magazines-Newsletters/ISMagazine/PublishingImages/Research-Insights.jpg" style="border: none; box-sizing: inherit; float: right; margin: 10px; max-width: 100%; width: auto;" /></article><article class="article-wrapper" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: "Gotham A", "Gotham B", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; padding: 10px 0px 10px 55px;"><br /></article><article class="article-wrapper" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: "Gotham A", "Gotham B", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; padding: 10px 0px 10px 55px;"><br /></article><article class="article-wrapper" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: "Gotham A", "Gotham B", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; padding: 10px 0px 10px 55px;"><br /></article><article class="article-wrapper" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: "Gotham A", "Gotham B", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; padding: 10px 0px 10px 55px;"><br /></article><article class="article-wrapper" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: "Gotham A", "Gotham B", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; padding: 10px 0px 10px 55px;"><br /></article><article class="article-wrapper" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: "Gotham A", "Gotham B", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; padding: 10px 0px 10px 55px;"><br /></article><article class="article-wrapper" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: "Gotham A", "Gotham B", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; padding: 10px 0px 10px 55px;"><br /></article><article class="article-wrapper" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: "Gotham A", "Gotham B", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; padding: 10px 0px 10px 55px;">In spring 2017, educators across the United States answered these questions as part of the <em style="box-sizing: inherit;">Emotion Revolution for Educators</em> survey, a joint initiative between the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and New Teacher Center, supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /> <br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />In the study, we wanted to unpack teachers’ current emotional reality and explore links between educators’ emotional lives and school-related experiences. Using social media and outreach to like-minded organizations such as Edutopia and NAIS, as well as connecting directly with schools, nearly 7,000 educators from across the nation completed the survey. The full survey results will be released in a series of scholarly papers throughout 2018. Here, we compare some initial results from the national sample to approximately 500 teachers recruited from NAIS.<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /> <h2 style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #002e40; font-family: filosofia_otbold, Georgia, serif; font-size: 2.25em; line-height: 1; margin: 0.4em 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
How Teachers Feel</h2>
First, teachers were asked to describe in their own words the three most frequent emotions they felt each day at school. The top three feelings from the national sample were<em style="box-sizing: inherit;"> frustrated, overwhelmed</em>, and<em style="box-sizing: inherit;"> stressed</em>, whereas the top three from teachers in the NAIS sample were: <em style="box-sizing: inherit;">frustrated, joyful/happy</em>, and<em style="box-sizing: inherit;"> excited</em>. “Frustrated” was by far the most mentioned emotion for all teachers. It appears private school teachers report greater happiness and excitement than teachers who work in public or charter schools. It’s also noteworthy that the private school teachers who participated in this research reported less anxiety-related emotions like stress.<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /> <br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />We then asked teachers how they want to feel at school. The top three emotions that teachers in the national sample wanted to feel were:<em style="box-sizing: inherit;"> happy, appreciated/valued</em>, and <em style="box-sizing: inherit;">supported</em>, whereas the top hoped-for emotions for teachers in the NAIS sample were: <em style="box-sizing: inherit;">joy/joyful, happy</em>, and <em style="box-sizing: inherit;">excited</em>. It appears that teachers in public schools have a greater need for appreciation and support than teachers who work in private schools.<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /> <h2 style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #002e40; font-family: filosofia_otbold, Georgia, serif; font-size: 2.25em; line-height: 1; margin: 0.4em 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
Why Teachers’ Emotions Matter</h2>
At the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, we study how emotions drive effective teaching and learning, the decisions students and educators make, the quality of teacher-to-student and student-to-student relationships, and both student and educator well-being and school climate. We assert that emotions matter a great deal in school for four primary reasons.<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /> <br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700;">Attention, memory, and learning.</span> Joy and excitement harness attention and promote greater engagement. Boredom and stress disrupt concentration and interfere with learning. Chronic stress can result in the persistent activation of the sympathetic nervous system and the release of stress hormones like cortisol. Prolonged release of cortisol impacts brain structures associated with executive functioning and memory.<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /> <br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700;">Decision-making.</span> Strong, negative emotions can hijack the brain in ways that make wise decision-making impossible. In contrast, people in pleasant moods tend to evaluate individuals, places, and events more favorably compared with people in unpleasant moods. Pleasant moods also tend to enhance mental flexibility and creativity.<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /> <br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700;">Relationships.</span> Emotions are signals about changes in relationships. For example, the emotions that teachers feel each day in class influence teacher-student bond. Teachers who display frustration and anger often alienate students, and that can influence students’ sense of safety and belongingness in the classroom and their ability to learn.<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /> <br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: 700;">Health and well-being.</span> How we feel influences our physical and mental health. Stress, for example, is associated with increased levels of cortisol, which has been shown to lead to weight gain. Positive moods are associated with higher levels of serotonin, which has been shown to curb one’s appetite. Pleasant emotions, in general, provide health benefits, including greater resilience.<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /> <br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />The good news is that many of the independent school teachers in this study reported experiencing more positive than negative emotions in school. The bad news across private and public school teachers: Everyone is reporting feeling frustration, which when prolonged can lead to stress, poor health, depression, anxiety, disruptive sleep patterns, and decreased focus. These consequences eventually can lead to low performance, increased absenteeism, high turnover, and low student achievement.<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /> <h2 style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #002e40; font-family: filosofia_otbold, Georgia, serif; font-size: 2.25em; line-height: 1; margin: 0.4em 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
Closing the Emotion Gap</h2>
One important finding across all types of schools in this study is that a healthy school climate—where teachers and parents support one another, teachers and administrators get along well, and teachers care about one another and are committed to their students—correlates positively with teachers’ reports of more positive and fewer negative emotions. Moreover, positive emotions appear to be a protective factor against burnout, including emotional exhaustion, lower turnover intent, mental health problems, sleep problems, and absenteeism.<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /> <br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />The question now becomes: How can schools create healthy, prosocial climates that will best support teachers to help them become more resilient and thrive? Current research shows that most effective approaches include a focus on building a positive school climate and infusing evidence-based practices to develop teachers’ emotion skills.<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /> <br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />At the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, we developed RULER (<a href="http://ruler.yale.edu/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; box-sizing: inherit; color: #20ada7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color, 0.3s, ease;" target="_blank"><em style="box-sizing: inherit;">ruler.yale.edu</em></a>), an evidence-based approach to social-emotional learning (SEL). In validating the effectiveness of RULER, we found that it enhances classroom emotional climate, reduces burnout, and enhances academic achievement. RULER is grounded in emotional intelligence and systems theories and is built upon decades of research showing that the skills associated with recognizing, understanding, labeling, expressing, and regulating emotion are essential to effective teaching, learning, and leading. Importantly, RULER starts with training adults so they can develop key emotion skills and be role models before infusing practices into the classroom.<br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /> <br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />Coaching is another approach that prevents stress and helps teachers develop strategies for managing it. New Teacher Center’s mentoring and induction model has been found to strengthen relationships and collegiality, resulting in a supportive environment for beginning teachers. Mentors and new teachers discuss challenges such as those related to student behavior and communication with families, often sources of stress for new teachers. Mentors help new teachers establish a prosocial culture, climate, and community in the classroom, which is the very foundation for social and emotional learning. <br style="box-sizing: inherit;" /> <br style="box-sizing: inherit;" />For teachers to perform at their best and thrive in all aspects of their lives, we need to close the “feelings gap.” Emotions are a power source waiting to be constructively tapped. Fortunately, more and more schools are seeing the benefits of SEL training on educator and student outcomes; more schools of education are starting to integrate preparation in the area; and more policies around SEL are being considered. If we want our teachers and youth to succeed, schools must be places where SEL is integrated into how leaders lead, teachers teach, and students learn.</article><article class="article-wrapper" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: "Gotham A", "Gotham B", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; padding: 10px 0px 10px 55px;">Check out the entire Independent Magazine: <a href="https://www.nais.org/magazine/independent-school/">https://www.nais.org/magazine/independent-school/</a></article><br />
<div class="author-article" style="border-bottom: 3px solid rgb(235, 235, 235); border-top: 3px solid rgb(235, 235, 235); box-sizing: inherit; font-family: "Gotham A", "Gotham B", Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 1.75em 0px;">
<span class="position" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #4e4e4e; display: block; font-size: 1em; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; text-transform: uppercase;">AUTHOR</span><br />
<div class="item" style="box-sizing: inherit; display: flex; padding: 1em 0px 0px;">
<div class="details" style="box-sizing: inherit; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1em;">
<span class="title" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #004b8d; display: block; font-size: 1.125em; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px 0px 0.125em;">Marc A. Brackett</span><br />
<div class="description" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 1em; margin-top: 0.1em; max-width: none;">
Marc A. Brackett is director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence in New Haven, Connecticut. He’s available on Twitter <em style="box-sizing: inherit;">@marcbrackett </em>or via <em style="box-sizing: inherit;"><a href="http://www.ei.yale.edu/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; box-sizing: inherit; color: #20ada7; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color, 0.3s, ease;">www.ei.yale.edu</a></em>.</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="item" style="box-sizing: inherit; display: flex; padding: 1em 0px 0px;">
<div class="details" style="box-sizing: inherit; padding: 0px 0px 0px 1em;">
<span class="title" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #004b8d; display: block; font-size: 1.125em; font-weight: 700; margin: 0px 0px 0.125em;">Wendy Baron</span><br />
<div class="description" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 1em; margin-top: 0.1em; max-width: none;">
Wendy Baron is chief officer of social and emotional learning at New Teacher Center in Santa Cruz, California.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Owen M. Griffithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02698066605750960265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1277497746904085460.post-47240170935882849732018-03-24T16:56:00.003-07:002018-03-24T16:56:40.324-07:00Owen's eCourse-see videos and sign up<br />
<span style="color: #0000ee; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, Segoe UI, Segoe WP, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #0000ee; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, Segoe UI, Segoe WP, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;">My new and exciting eCourse, Gratitude: A Way of Teaching, just started, but it is not too late to sign up. Check out the links below to see a few short and fun videos about the course and then sign up at the link below.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0000ee; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, Segoe UI, Segoe WP, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #0000ee; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, Segoe UI, Segoe WP, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><u><a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6BfVrDB4VHb_47eNpq8Zu23cx4lwKSLH">Owen's eCourse videos</a></u></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #0000ee; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, "Segoe UI", "Segoe WP", Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont; font-size: 15px; text-decoration-line: underline;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #0000ee; font-family: wf_segoe-ui_normal, Segoe UI, Segoe WP, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif, serif, EmojiFont;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><u><a href="https://learn.gratefulness.org/product/gratitude-way-teaching/">Sign up for the eCourse Gratitude; A Way of Teaching</a></u></span></span>Owen M. Griffithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02698066605750960265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1277497746904085460.post-55979546286899015582018-03-07T06:30:00.001-08:002018-03-07T06:35:51.688-08:00ANXIOUS YOUTH? HOW A PURPOSEFUL LIFE HELPS LESSEN ANXIETY<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 2.25pt; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;">
<span style="color: #32525f; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-transform: uppercase;"><span style="color: #32525f;">Guest blog</span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #464646; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">By </span><span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;">Laura Garrison-Brook</span><span style="color: #464646; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #464646; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Anxiety in our world is on the rise. According to Robert
Leahy, Ph.D., a clinical professor of psychology at Weill-Cornell University
Medical School, the average high school kid today has the same level of anxiety
as the average psychiatric patient in the early 1950’s.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #464646; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Decade by decade, anxiety is increasing. Youth are
particularly vulnerable here. The rise in anxiety stems from a variety of
sources, but a key two serve as a double whammy. These days youth have less
real relationships and more online connections. Both of these fuel
unhappiness. Positive, strong relationships have been proven to be one of
the greatest predictors of happiness. It’s ironic, but connecting with
people online has been shown to feed a sense of isolation. Pictures of
parties and get-togethers that we weren’t invited to make us feel sad and
unpopular.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #464646; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">How can purpose help with
anxiety?</span></strong><span style="color: #464646; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #464646; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Purpose shifts our focus from
me-centered to we-centered</span></strong><span style="color: #464646; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">. People who struggle
with anxiety are often caught in a rumination rut. The more that we think
a negative thought, the more we wire our brains to continue thinking in this
way. By doing something purposeful, we shift from focusing relentlessly on
ourselves to focusing on how we can benefit the world. This has a big
impact. Studies have shown that people get a greater boost in happiness
giving help than they do in receiving help.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #464646; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Purpose helps build our
social relationships. </span></strong><span style="color: #464646; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">There is nothing more
powerful than being connected to a group of people who have shared values and
goals. By figuring out who we are and what we are good at, we can connect
with others who have similar interests. These rich and robust
relationships help to diffuse isolation and anxiety.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #464646; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Purpose boosts our sense of
competence.</span></strong><span style="color: #464646; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"> Purpose is the intersection of what we love to do, what we
are good at and what the world needs. Aristotle said, “Knowing yourself is
the beginning of all wisdom.” This knowledge guides how we show up in
life. Knowing that we can make a meaningful contribution to the world is
tremendously grounding. For anxious youth, this can be a balm to the
soul. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #464646; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Purpose shifts our
self-esteem from dependent to independent.</span></strong><span style="color: #464646; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"> Dependent
self-esteem is like a yo-yo. If we have a bad hair day, it goes
down. If we get invited to the party, it goes up. Even when things
are going our way, anxiety persists. Outside factors determine whether we
feel good about ourselves or not. Dependent self-esteem is like being
stuck in the passenger seat of our own lives. We feel powerless.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #464646; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">When we know what our purpose is, it is like discovering our
personal compass. We figure out where we need to go and start taking steps
to get there. This shifts our self-esteem from dependent to
independent. With independent self-esteem, we measure our self-worth
against our own progress. Even if we initially fail in our efforts (which
would put us in a tailspin with dependent self-esteem where we compare
ourselves to others), with a purposeful attitude, as long as we are learning,
it’s ok. We know that we are making progress towards our goal and that is
what counts. This puts us in the driver’s seat. We are in control –
and with this sense of control, our anxiety goes down. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #464646; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Purpose is the closest thing to a silver bullet for what ails
youth. The National Institute of Mental Health shares that about 30% of girls
and 20% of boys--totaling 6.3 million teens--have had an anxiety
disorder. These are just the ones who have been diagnosed. Experts
believe the number to be much larger than this, since many others do not seek
help. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: #464646; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">By discovering our purpose, we can shift from isolation to
connection. From boredom to engagement. From self-doubt to
competence. From disengagement to being an authentic contributor to the
world. These are just a few of the ways that purpose creates well-being
and lessens anxiety in us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #464646; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Want to learn more about how
to find your purpose? Discovering My Purpose is a nonprofit organization that
can help. Go to </span></em><span style="color: #464646; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><a href="http://www.discoveringmypurpose.org/" style="box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #8cc63f;">www.DiscoveringMyPurpose.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Owen M. Griffithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02698066605750960265noreply@blogger.com0