President’s
Perspective
During the holiday seasons of Thanksgiving and Christmas, there seems to be an abundance of gratitude and giving. Even in the midst of our Covid crisis and political unrest, I am relieved to be seeing the shift towards these positive attributes of thankfulness and generosity. Gratitude is the attitude of being thankful and showing appreciation for what we have. At a time when so many are struggling, practicing gratitude is more important than ever. It is no secret that there is a strong correlation between expressing gratitude and mental health. In a blog “Mental Health Benefits of Gratitude” by Allie DePoy, behavioral health expert, she explains four benefits of showing gratitude: 1.
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Expressing gratitude can improve your mood. People who regularly express gratitude for the positive things in their life are shown to be happier overall, leading to lower rates of stress and depression. Showing gratitude can make you more optimistic. Studies show that those who express gratitude regularly appear to have a more positive outlook on life. Sharing gratitude can improve social bonds. People have reported feeling more loved and more connected to others in their lives when they routinely practice gratitude or those around them practice gratitude. Practicing gratitude can improve your physical health. People who actively express gratitude tend to be more engaged in activities to take care of their physical health, like eating well and exercising. This leads to higher energy levels, better sleep, and a stronger immune system, or the ability to fight off illness or infection.
Debbie Atkinson AAEA Board President Elementary Principal Bergman School District Guess what? Giving can also boost your mental and physical health. Health benefits associated with giving can include lower blood pressure, increased selfesteem, less depression, lower stress levels, longer life and greater happiness and satisfaction. (Health Essentials, Oct 28, 2020, “Why Giving is Good for Your Health”) Giving can be done through a variety of means from giving encouraging words, extending grace when needed, giving your time, and giving your resources. True giving doesn’t expect something in return. I believe that educators, by nature, tend to be grateful and giving. I have been a witness to this for all of my 33 years in education. I have an especially good bird’s eye view of this as an administrator. I could take up several pages to reflect the giving spirit of my school, but I will keep it brief. My staff gives money to buy Christmas gifts for students in need, they purchase gift cards and provide meals when one of our own is sick or has a death in the family, and they lift each other up with encouraging words. Recently we had to switch to off-site learning. This information wasn’t given to us until late in the evening. Those that were able showed up the next day, rallied together, and made the transition as smooth as possible. During this year with stress levels elevated, intentionality is the key. Gratitude can easily be pushed aside. Find ways to cultivate thankfulness and a giving heart by practicing mindfulness. Don’t be picky, appreciate everything. Find gratitude in your challenges. Look for daily opportunities to give. Make a plan to provide opportunities for your staff to have the chance to be grateful and giving. Don’t forget to acknowledge those great acts of kindness from your staff. As we consider the blessings of the season, my final challenge for you is to purposefully keep the spirit of the season throughout the rest of the year as well. May your holiday season be blessed with family, friendship, safety, and great health. 3
