Gratitude

Definition - A feeling of being thankful to somebody for doing something

Gratitude is one of those emotions that we are all capable of showing, but sometimes we either forget or don’t even attempt to consider showing it. Have you ever heard someone say "a little bit of gratitude wouldn’t go a miss!"

"Appreciation can make a day, even change a life. Your willingness to put it into words is all that is necessary.
Margaret Cousins

As a positive emotion, gratitude is a feeling where an individual feels some form of indebtedness towards someone else. It can be demonstrated in many different ways, but in the main a simple thank you is a great way of showing your gratitude for something.

Showing a sense of gratitude does not necessarily have to relate to something tangible, in fact, what you will most likely find after reading this article is that you feel Gratitude for things that you can’t necessarily see.

Being a teenager is never easy, let alone a pregnant one! For you to feel gratitude you must first appreciate what someone has done for you. Often, we expect so much of others that we forget that, a lot of the time, others who help us out are doing so because they want to, not because they have to. The tendency however is to expect the things in life that we shouldn’t necessarily expect to happen. For example, I bet you don’t think to show Gratitude to your local water company for providing, clean running water to your home. However, if you were to live in parts of Africa where such a commodity is extremely rare, then should you suddenly begin to receive it, you will be sure to show Gratitude.

Ultimately, we all do things for others because more often than not, we want to. But ask yourself, how many times have you said thank you or shown your appreciation to those people who have gone out of their way to support you? It’s easy to answer the question with a sharp yes, but really, how many times have you shown your gratitude, not felt it, shown it!

We all do things because we liked to be loved and feel wanted. It’s one of the most fundamental motivators in life and the reason why we do so many things, though a lot us don’t care to admit it. When you go out of your way to help someone, support them, a show of gratitude in return is sometimes enough reward to encourage the same behaviour again and again.

“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others”
Cicero

As you become a new parent your demonstration of gratitude towards your child is paramount to their development. At the youngest of ages, through childhood and into later teenage years, children thrive on feeling wanted, appreciated and loved. As mentioned, to be loved and wanted is a fundamental motivator in life and as parent, your demonstration of gratitude will encourage positive behaviours in your child. So remember, no matter how small and relatively insignificant the gesture, show your gratitude and say thank you or reward your child. From the impromptu hug, to the crayon they hand you because they think you want it, say thank you and reciprocate their gesture to encourage further positive behaviour.

“To educate yourself for the feeling of gratitude means to take nothing for granted, but to always seek out and value the kind that will stand behind the action. Nothing that is done for you is a matter of course. Everything originates in a will for the good, which is directed at you. Train yourself never to put off the word or action for the expression of gratitude.”
Albert Schweitzer

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