gratitude

The past several months have been challenging, to say the least, but we still have so much to be grateful for – and one way to do that is to incorporate gratitude into your daily life.

And there is no time like November, the month where we pause with family and friends to give thanks for all our blessings, to start incorporating a daily gratitude practice into your family routine.

It’s wonderful for children especially to be involved in a daily gratitude practice, and it can be a bonding experience for everyone – young and old. And gratitude is one of those things that is contagious. The more you look for your blessings, the more you find.

Here are some ways to bring gratitude into your family’s daily life this month.

Gratitude jar

This is one way to bring your blessings into clear view: Keeping them written down and in a jar. Everyone can put their blessings in the jar – once a day, once a week…whenever. Just keep the jar in a high-traffic area and in clear view.

It’s wonderful to see the jar fill up with all the wonderful things – big and small – that happen throughout the year and at the end of the year, it will be so fun to read all the blessings and remember how wonderful life was that year.

Thorns and roses

While not every day is a good day, there is good in every day. Starting a family tradition – around the dinner table, at bedtime – where everyone shares a “thorn” or “rose” about the day is a good way to acknowledge that even in a tough time, there is still good to be found.

Journaling

If you have older children, they might be more into privacy or personal reflection, so consider starting a gratitude journal individually. Each family member can have their own journal and – as a family – there can be time set aside daily or weekly to write about the good in your life.

Do good deeds

One of the best ways to show gratitude is to do good deeds, so consider having a “good deeds day” with your family. Pay for parking meters. Pass out roses at a shopping center. Pay off someone’s library fine. Rake a neighbor’s leaves.

Have fun with it!

Fresh Forward

At Fresh Forward, feeding families is our passion. We work with local farmers to get the best, and freshest, produce on your family’s table. Ask your favorite grocery store, farm stand or produce market to carry Fresh Forward products.

Learn more about the Fresh Forward mission here.