We are all trying to cope with our “new normal”. As tempting as it may be to stay in pajamas all day, setting time every day for learning and reflecting is essential for our well-being. Have you noticed that in addition to urging us to continue practicing good hand hygiene and physical distancing, our doctors are encouraging us to keep journals and pursue learning a new skill to protect our mental health?
In CanLearn literacy programs, we continue to encourage our learners to talk, read and write about positive things in their lives and to remain optimistic. Last week, our topic was gratitude – an emotion that helps us count our blessings and articulate appreciation for good things we notice the good things in our life.
The gratitude A-Z activity below challenges participants to use every letter of the alphabet to think of something they are grateful for and write it down. It generated a lot of conversations, thinking and learning with our learners regardless of their age.
A – ALL people in my life, the AIR we breathe, ACCESS to support in ALBERTA
B – BIRDS outside, BOOKS, BEAUTIFUL weather, BAKING cookies with my BOYS
C – My CHILDREN, living in CANADA, our city – CALGARY, staying CALM, CANLEARN
D – DOCTORS, DANDELIONS, DRIVING in the country, DANCING with my children, my DAD, my DAUGHTERS, DELIVERY DRIVERS, DINNER with my family
E – EVERYONE is OK; EVERYDAY moments, EXERCISING with my friends via Zoom
F – My FAMILY, FOOD on the table, we planted FLOWERS, FUNNY stories, FRESH air
G – GRANDPARENTS are OK, my GARDEN, GOVERNMENT support, GROWING things, board GAMES I play with my family, GRASS is turning GREEN, workers in GROCERY stores.
H – HEALTHY for now, HAVING a HOME, HUGS from my children, DR HINSHAW, feeling HOPEFUL
I – ICE-CREAM, INDEPENDENCE, strong IMMUNE system
J – My JOB, JUSTIN Trudeau, JOKES, our conversation JAR, moments of JOY, keeping a JOURNAL
K – My KIDS, KIND words, KISSES from my children
L – LOVE for all, LAUGHTER, LIFE, LEARNING Starts at Home Program, my LANDLORD is kind
M – having a kind MOM, MUSIC, MEDICAL profession, MAGIC Carpet Ride Program, growing MEMORIES
N – NURSES, NEW things, growing NATURE around us, my NEIGBOURS, Mayor NENSHI
O – OUTSIDE is OK, OUTDOORS
P – PLANTS, kind PEOPLE, my PETS, PLAY, my PARENTS are OK
Q – QUIET moments to reflect, QUIET streets
R – RABBITS are brown now, READING, ROUTINES, RAIN
S – SIPPING tea outside, SURPRISES from friends, SAFETY, SUNSHINE, SUPPORT, being SILLY with my children, SACRIFICES from doctors, nurses, and essential workers
T – TREES are budding, TEACHERS, TAKING Charge Program, TALKING with my friends and family online, TOGETHERNESS
U – UMBRELLA on my deck, UNDERSTANDING me
V – VERY good doctors, VOLUNTEERS, healthy VEGETABLES
W – WONDERFUL WEATHER, WINDOWS, WALKS with my family
X – eXtra care for one another
Y – YOU, YELLOW tulips, YOUTH helping elderly people
Z – ZEST for life, ZOOM, Calgary ZOO has online activities
Gratitude starts with noticing the good things in our life and generates the positive thinking that we need during these unsettling times.
What would you put on your Gratitude A-Z list?