What is it? Why do we need it? How to get more of it! Gratitude What is it? Why do we need it? How to get more of it!

Coca-Cola Happiness Machine Just for fun! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqT_dPApj9U What is in this video that makes people happy? Is it getting a gift? Or is it GIVING a gift?

grat·i·tude ˈɡradəˌt(y)o͞od/ noun: gratitude the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.

Why be thankful? What are the benefits of having gratitude? To you? To other people? To the world? Are the benefits more for you or for other people?

How often do you think about what you’re thankful for? Or do you more often think about what your irritated/sad/mad/frustrated about? Examples:

What about the things we take for granted? Toilets Cell phones Clothes Free access to education Your health Family What else? Do you ever think about the people in this world who don’t have these gifts? I think we get used to the comforts of every day life and we forget how lucky we are.

Do you know who this is? Malala Yousafzai was shot in the head by the Taliban for being outspoken about the rights of girls to be educated. Here in the US we often take for granted the fact that we have free education. How many people have felt grateful about free education in the last week? It’s probably because we’re so used to having it that we forget how lucky we are to have it.

How Gratitude links with Happiness Soul Pancakes video clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHv6vTKD6lg&list=PLzvRx_johoA8PC6S5k5S2SszRQOR8oSEa

Write a letter Write a letter to the person you’re most thankful for in your life. (We won’t make you share the letter with this person, but you can if you want to.)

Gratitude Tree Take an ornament. Write all the things you’re thankful for. These will be hung on our Gratitude tree.

Operation kindness http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4ALRY5LyBM&index=6&list=PLzvRx_johoA_QznlVHjbByQdHZAhWRQzr

Thank YOU! Thank you for being here and for participating!