5 Tips for Expressing Gratitude
It’s the season of giving, and giving isn’t just about gifts — it’s about giving of yourself and giving your love to others. We believe that expressing gratitude and sharing our feelings is important. People should always know that they are appreciated, and discussing gratitude can be a powerful way to reorient behavior if family tensions are high. Here are a few tips from Eugene Therapy’s staff on how to inspire a dialogue of appreciation:
- Before your holiday feast, invite guests to take turns sharing one thing that they are thankful for.
- Share stories of a time when you each felt a deep sense of gratitude.
- Ask your family and guests to bring photos or draw pictures of family, friends, or memories that they are grateful for. Discuss the photos and pass them around with the pumpkin pie!
- Invite guests to reminisce about the past year. Ask them to comment on what they might have hoped for a year ago that they have since received and are grateful for, such as a new toy, a new friendship, or the health of a loved one.
- Spell gratitude with the help of the alphabet. Starting with one person and the letter "A," take turns naming things that you are all grateful for, until you reach the letter "Z."
