Gratitude Journal
Gratitude is a two-way street. The more you give, the more you get.
I am receiving gratitude from people who are thankful for the Thanks and Giving Celebration. Here’s the thing: I am so grateful to you for supporting this dream of mine to teach literacy through music and movement.
Choose gratitude. Every minute of every day you have a choice. You can choose to complain about what you do not have, or be thankful for what you do. Choose appreciation. Choose gratitude. You can find things to be thankful for, even when things are not going well. That's when it is especially important to practice gratitude.
Gratitude, like love, creates what I call "rosy moments." Cherish them. Savor them. Make them last. Writing down what you are grateful for will help you remember the rosy moments and make them last longer.
There are many benefits of using a gratitude journal, including closer relationships, improved physical health, reduced aggression, better sleep, improved self-esteem, and reduced social comparisons.
I strive to write what I am grateful for daily. I will go good stretches of daily gratitude journaling, and then "fall off the wagon" for a while. I know that I feel better when I am consistently journaling what I am grateful for.
Encourage your children to use a gratitude journal as well. If you have a baby, just talk to them about what you are grateful for. Young children can draw. Ask them to draw what they are grateful for. Then write a caption in their own words. Use the writing prompts below:
- Who are you thankful for?
- What are you thankful for?
- What was the best part of your day?
- Do you have a memory you are grateful for?
- Is there something in nature you are grateful for?
- How can we be generous?
What about you? Do you keep a gratitude journal? Does your child keep one? Tell me in the comments your experience with gratitude journaling.
Keep singing,
☮️ ❤️ 🎼
Risa
Author
Risa Beth Cohen, M.S.Ed.
Author
Risa Beth Cohen, M.S.Ed. is an educator, singer/songwriter, and storyteller. She works with people of all ages and abilities, leading music circles and storytelling workshops. As the Founder and Creative Director of Sing into Reading, Risa is passionate about teaching literacy through music and movement. Risa holds a B.F.A. in acting from Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, and an M.S.Ed. in Early Childhood/Elementary Education from Bank Street College. In 2014, she was the Featured Teller at “Tellebration” in Toledo, Ohio. Students of all ages and abilities enjoy her music circles and storytelling workshops. In addition to teaching children, Risa is a sought-after speaker at edu-events of all sorts. Risa is an approved CKC (Core Knowledge & Competencies) Instructor, and Sing into Reading is an approved training organization recognized by the Ohio Professional Registry of the Ohio Child Care Resource and Referral Association (OCCRRA). She has two OCCRRA-approved workshops, “Teaching Literacy Through Music and Movement,” and “Songs for a Peaceful Learning Environment.” She has taught educators and families at schools, and has spoken at conferences in many countries, including Egypt, Australia, England, and South Korea. Risa and her program, Sing into Reading, have been featured on WTOL Channel 11, NBC channel 24, 13abc, and the Toledo Blade. Risa has been called a literacy teacher “in disguise.” Her students think they just make music and have fun – and they do!
