Keep a kit stocked with candy, blank cards, stickers, and colorful pens and markers for on-the-go thank you notes.
Expressing our gratitude makes others happier, makes us happier, and makes us all feel more connected.
It's science: gratitude is good for us.
It's also intuitive. Noticing what we are grateful for makes us more aware of the good in our lives.
But sometimes my family's attempt to practice gratitude has felt too contrived. Some days my dinner-time invitation to list what we're all grateful for gains me more rolled eyes and fewer meaningful conversations than I'd like.
The key to a gratitude practice that isn't irksome is spontaneity.
We've learned to turn that immediate, warm feeling of thankfulness into an outward act of appreciation.
In short, by saying thank you more often, my family has nurtured a greater sense of gratitude.
I recently wrote about our efforts to share gratitude more openly and intentionally. This effort has stuck with us.
We've developed a habit of sharing thankfulness loudly, immediately, and with a little flare. Thanks to our Gratitude On the Go kits, we'll often write thank you notes for the everyday people who brighten our days.
About once a week one of the kids snags our gratitude-to-go bag, and announces they need to write a note. With every unexpected letter we send, we've taken time to really notice the people and things that make life a little sweeter. Give it a try!
How to Create a Gratitude-to-Go Kit
Click here to print a set of unique and adorable thank you notes.
What You’ll Need
Blank cards or DGT’s printable thank you cards
Candy (melt-resistant works best in the summer!)
Stickers, and
Colors, Markers, pens
See these instructions come to life in this short video.
Instructions
Assemble a kit for your car, your child’s back pack, your handbag, etc.
When you notice something you appreciate, write and deliver a thank you note to the person made you feel grateful.
Discussion Questions
Why is it so easy to forget the many things we are grateful for when we discover something new that we desperately want?
How can we remind ourselves to be satisfied with the good things already in our lives?
Resources
Give it a try. Let us know if it works for you as well!
Browse our other tools to practice gratitude,
mindfulness, and emotional awareness!
