By Daniel Booth, 2020 RSM Working Father of the Year
“It’s not happiness that brings us gratitude. It’s gratitude that brings us happiness.”
Anonymous
As we come up on one year having worked through this global pandemic, I sit here writing this introduction and reflecting on the good, the bad, and the ugly that has transpired. As a parent of an almost-three-year-old child, I am gratefully tasked to continue to nurture a loving, supportive and caring environment for my daughter, where I can encourage positive habits and lay the groundwork for when she gets older. Part of this work is also being mindful to not shelter her too much from all that life has to offer, instead equiping her with the tools to succeed.
So, it was refreshing to sit down with Heather Vickery of Vickery and Co., a fellow LGBT+ advocate and friend, to speak on the topic of gratitude, and how, we as guardians, can do the simplest tasks each day to bring about positive change within ourselves and the people around us. We should take notice of what is going on around us and acknowledge goodness at every turn.
Watch: The Power of Gratitude with RSM
Heather’s energy, her knowledge of positive psychology, her infectious smile, and her drive to bring out the best in people are traits we all should strive to embody. I hope you’ll use this video to start a conversation—with yourself and others around you—about the power of gratitude. When you consciously think about what you’re grateful for and when you express gratitude to others, you feel better and those around you feel better. That positive reinforcement actually builds confidence.
The impact of gratitude is mind-blowing. Remember that just saying a simple phrase like, “I value you!” can spark a positive change in the people around you. We all have the capacity, whether three or 93 years of age, to express gratitude – trust me, my daughter did it just last week by encouraging me with the cheerful phrase, “You can do it Dada!” as I strained to lift some furniture out the stairs. You, too, can do this!
Buy the books!
Kick your gratitude practice up a notch with Heather’s gratitude journals!
Gratitude Journal: Shift Your Focus has 180 unique prompts for reflection.
Grow Grateful: A Gratitude Journal for Kids and Families can help you and your children develop life-changing gratitude habits.
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