It’s November and we are soon approaching Thanksgiving and Christmas. I know life seems to always be busy, but this time of year it becomes even busier. This is exactly why I thought it would be timely to talk about being thankful, thinking positive, and showing gratitude. Thankfulness. Positivity. Gratefulness. These three words are all interrelated so I will be using them interchangeably. Amid the stress of preparing meals, cleaning, decorating the house, and traveling (I haven’t even mentioned homeschooling), we become so focused on tasks that we forget to count our blessings. Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to teach kids gratitude. This seems like a very simple trait to teach but few people exercise gratitude on a daily basis because it’s not always easy. You see, we naturally think negatively. Each person has anywhere between 50,000-80,000 thoughts per day. And according to the National Science Foundation, 80% of those thoughts are negative. And what we think about is what shapes us. The good news is we have the ability to change our thoughts and to become more thankful! However, in order to do this, we need to purposefully practice positivity until it becomes instinctive. It takes a while for something to become a habit. In fact, new research suggests it takes at least 2 months for something to “stick”. You may be wondering, “With that many negative thoughts, how do I go about training my brain to think healthier and teach my kids to do the same?” Becoming more aware of your thoughts and taking charge of them, journaling, and practicing positivity are a few exercises you will want to become familiar with if you desire to change your “stinky thinking.”
Become more aware of your senses and thoughts coming to your mind.
Recognize how the thoughts are making you feel physically and mentally. Does your neck tense up? Do you crease your forehead? Are you on edge but cannot pinpoint why? Practice taking slow deep breaths. When you become more aware of each thought, you begin to have the advantage.
Take charge of your thoughts.
Once you are aware of your thoughts, you can either reinforce a negative thought or change it to a positive one. As I said before, this is not easy at first. Your mind will want to keep going back to the negativity. Keep pressing forward because you always have a choice to change the negative thought. For example, you might be thinking, “We are so far behind this year, how will we ever catch up?” Or, “My child will never learn to read, do math, etc.” Another thought might be, “If only I would have used another curriculum.” Instead of focusing on how much you did not accomplish, think about what you did get done or any little progress your child has made in all areas of his/her life. Make the choice not to allow your thoughts to entertain scenarios you can’t change. When you want to change the past, decide to let that thought “blow away with the wind.” Then fill your brain with a positive thought about the future or good things that came from the past. For example, maybe using a certain curriculum you are not fond of laid a foundation or helped your child in ways you haven’t thought about until now.
Write it Out.
Journaling helps to clarify your thoughts and feelings. When you write about your happiness, disappointment, frustration, or excitement, you become more in tune with your mental state of mind and what you may or may not need to change. If you want to become more grateful, journaling is an excellent exercise. You could start each day by writing down with your children five things you’re thankful for.
Practice Positivity.
Share with your children and husband how thankful you are for them. Talk to your children about the many reasons you are happy to be educating them at home. Tell someone you are close to what a privilege it is to be their friend. Be thankful for the absent things in your life. For example, you don’t have to address school bullying with your kids.
As the holidays approach this year, let it be a time of gratitude. Instead of getting caught up in the worries of this life, don’t lose sight of the bigger picture. By practicing positivity and thankfulness now with your children, you are giving them a wonderful example to carry on these traits into their adulthood.
~ Gina
