5.

The Power of
Thankfulness
Sometimes when we experience challenges it may feel tough to be thankful. Yet practicing
thankfulness is one of the most powerful ways to bring about a change in our circumstances.
Being thankful can alter the thought process of our brains and change our experiences in the
world.
We often find ourselves struggling with thoughts from our amygdala. When you
let these thoughts take over your brain, you are not in a powerful state. When
you listen to you amygdala you often feel depressed and uninspired. Letting your
amygdala control your brain can even cause your body to get sick more often and
tired more quickly! Your amygdala may be trying to keep you safe from danger,
but if you only listen to it you won’t be able to grow or move forward.
Stop and Jot: What words describe how people are effected when they are
ruled by their amygdala?

Focusing your mind on thankfulness, on the other hand, is one of the quickest and most powerful
ways to create a change in our brain and in our situations. It helps the brain to see the possibilities
in a situation and create a vision for the future.

Whisper Ups:
What we think is a matter of choice. It is up to us to reactivate the cerebral cortex
of the brain. It is up to us to choose the thoughts that move us in a positive
direction.
Whisper downs from the amygdala shut down our thinking, but whisper ups move
us in a positive direction that can bring us peace and inspire us. Thoughts of
thankfulness, vision, purpose, and possibility are whisper ups.

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 Stop and Jot: What connections can you make to the previous readings
this week?

How to Practice Thinking Thoughts of Thankfulness

Here are some steps you can take to practice activating your cerebral cortex:
1. List everything you are thankful for, working from the “inside out”.
Start with yourself, (your mind, body, spirit) and work out (your family, friends, relationships), to
events you have experienced, all the way to things out of your control (people or events you don’t know
directly, but that have affected you).

2. Look for the positives in negative situations.

Be sure to include situations you are unhappy about in your thankful list, and find the positive moments.
For example, if you just got into a fight with your best friend, stop to think about a reason you are thankful for
the relationship. You may say something like, “It really makes me upset that Jesse never called me back, but he
has always been there for me in the past and I am thankful for that. Maybe I should call him again and see
what’s going on.” If we only focus on the reasons why we are mad and don’t stay solution based, we will never
solve our problems. When we are thankful and appreciative of what we do have, we allow ourselves space to
make positive change. When you are stressed out, take a deep breath. Exhale as much as you can and ask
yourself, “What can I be thankful for in this moment?” Or “How can I express my appreciation to this person
in this moment?”
Stop and Jot: Picture a time you were in a similar situation. What could you say to look
for the positive in the negative situation?

3. Don’t forget the small stuff!

Our spirits are lifted when we are appreciative of even the smallest thing
—someone’s smile, a funny joke, an idea we had, a helpful friend, good food at lunch,
the sunshine, Facebook, metro cards…almost anything!
Be thankful for each experience you are having. Try to remember or write down
things you are thankful for during the day.

See What Happens

When we are focused on being thankful, something amazing happens! Our
brains are now able to perceive even more that makes us thankful. As we practice

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being thankful, we invoke a power within. The brain experiences dramatic improvement in spirit,
relationships, and creativity. Practice being sincere and thankful and notice the change- you will find yourself
smiling. Your spine straightens. Your muscles relax. Your thoughts become more positive and creative and you
get ideas on how to turn your situation around and move in a direction that inspires you.
YOU can be in control of your thoughts. You can be in control of your reactions. Use what you know about
the brain, about sincerity, inclusion, being solutions-oriented, the amygdala, the cerebral cortex and apply it to
your life in and outside of school. It’s your brain- use it!

Free Thought Writing!

Go crazy- list everything you can think of that you may be thankful for. Events in your
life, people, health, books- whatever has made you happy, brought you joy, or made
you a stronger person. There are NO right or wrong answers, You will have a chance
to go back over your list soon, so don’t think too much about the things you are writing
now. Leave space between each. How many can you think of?
You/
Rela
tions
hips

Even
ts &
Expe
rienc
es

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Worl
d/
Othe
r

Great job! Now answer the following questions in

the Google Form and submit it to your teacher.
Then have a wonderful weekend! 😊

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