Dallas Clayton’s An Awesome Book of Thanks is a treasure and a testament to the infinite number of people, places and things there are to be thankful for in the world. He starts by encouraging one to imagine a world devoid of literally every “thing”. Then, with childlike imagination, playful prose and delightfully detailed illustrations he builds a case to be thankful for virtually everyone and everything conceivable!
“Because he is in love with his environment and not indifferent to it, a child’s intelligence can see what is invisible to adults.”1
Maria Montessori
Young children naturally view the world around them through eyes of gratitude and love. By encouraging and celebrating this innate predisposition we help them to hardwire a positive mindset. Study after study has demonstrated the relationship between a positive mindset and psychological resilience, optimism and life satisfaction. In fact, a 2010 review of gratitude research concluded that “Gratitude is strongly related to well-being, however defined.”2
The essence of Breadcrumbs’ heart-centered breathing and reflections practices involves learning to rekindle feelings of gratitude, love and appreciation at will, and employ them as tools to mitigate stress and other difficult emotions.
“Thank You Dallas Clayton” for An Awesome Book of Thanks! Let it be an inspiration to develop a gratitude practice of your very own. Whether in a special journal, at circle-time, around the dinner table or as part of a bedtime ritual... highlighting and sharing those people, places and things for which you are grateful EACH DAY is a powerful positive practice with infinite potential to benefit you and the little ones in your midst.
REFERENCES:
Montessori, Maria (1966). The Secret of Childhood, The Random House Publishing Group, New York, NY, p. 103.
Wood AM, Froh JJ, Geraghty AW. (2010). Gratitude and Well-Being: A Review and Theoretical Integration. Clin Psychol Rev. Nov;30(7):890-905.
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