A National Resource Centre for Value Education (NRCVE) has been set up at NCERT as an outcome of strategic planning to realise the objectives of value-based education at the school stage in the country. The Centre was inaugurated on 14th September, 2000. All the constituents of NCERT have been taking up programme in the area of value education under the aegies of NRCVE.
The goals and functions of the centre are to:
1. A reference library has been set up and is being enriched continuously. A wide variety of resource mater; ds on value education like books, journals, other print materials, audio and video cassettes, CDs/multimedia packages, etc. are being continuously procured. The Centre has also procured literature on values enshrined in different religions and literature for children.
2. Networking with organisation/NGOs working in the area of value education has been taken up with a view to develop linkages with various organisations/NGOs, within and outside India, working in the area of value education.
Information about 300 organisations including their aims, nature of activities and publications have been procured and a directory of these organisations has already been brought out. The database could be accessed on the website of NCERT.
3. The Journal of Value Education was launched under the aegies of National Resources Centre or Value Education, NCERT, in order to provide a forum for expression and sharing of issues related to education in human values among students and teachers at all levels, as well as the parents and the community.
4. Identification and complication of materials/references of books, journals, articles, Ph.D. researches, NGOs’ work and audio-video programmes brought out/published in English and Hindi in the country on value education in India are in progress in the seven constituent units of NCERT covering all the regions of the country.
5. Recently on recommendations of NCERT Department of Education, MHRD has declared prominent NGOs like Ramakrishna Institute of Moral and Spiritual Education (RIMSE), Mysore, Sri Aurobindo Education Society, New Delhi, Chinmoy Mission, Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Iswariya Viswa Vidyalaya, Santi Kunj, Hardwar, Kendriya Jeevan Vigyan Academy, National Spiritual Assembly of Bahais of India and Sri Satya Sai Institute of Higher Learning as Regional Resource Centres on Value Education.
NCERT is to coordinate and guide the activities of the Regional Resource Centres in the area of in-service education of teachers at all levels and for promotion of research related to value education.
The NRCEV has also initiated:
1. Development of a framework on value education in schools.
2. Conceptualization of some important values such as caring, excellence, creativity, spirituality, etc.
3. Development of materials such as supplementary reading material for children, audio cassettes, video cassettes and multimedia.
4. Development of training materials for teachers and teacher educators.
5. Media mobilisation for awareness generation, training and preparation of resource materials, etc.
6. The revival of the community singing programme which is being organised by all constituent units in order to promote values among school children. Several state level organisations have shown keen interest in the programme.
Formal and Informal Agencies of Inculcating Values
Value education is rooted in Indian philosophy and culture and ingrained in every tradition of Indian culture. The Vedas and Upanishads form the source of inspiration for value education. In the Vedic period, in Ashram system of education, the Guru insisted his pupil to follow certain values throughout his life.
University education commission 1948-49 mentioned the various aspects of morality as: loyalty, courage, discipline, self-sacrifice and spirituality.
The Secondary Education Commission 1952-53 laid special emphasis on the following values in the formation of character of the students:
Efficiency
Good Temper
Cooperation
Integrity
Discipline
Ways to make value education
There are several ways to make value education more effective.
the moral awareness should be endorsed to orient the progress in science & technology towards the welfare of mankind.
common values should be re-discovered to unite human beings with the general decline of traditional values.
teachers pass values to the students both consciously and unconsciously through their conduct in and out of class rooms. Therefore the need for a consciously planned value education program is obvious to establish a formal learning.
students might face more complicated decision making situations about issues involving values. They should be helped in developing the ability to make proper choices in such situations through value education.
increase in Juvenile delinquency is a crisis to youth who under goes the process of personal growth. In such situation value education assumes a special significance.
Inculcation of values in Educational Institutions
In school, children are members of a small society that exerts a tremendous influence on their moral development. Teachers serve as role model to students in school; they play a major role in inculcating their ethical behaviour.
At the same time, peers at school may also diffuse boldness about cheating, lying, stealing, and consideration for others. Though there are rules and regulations, the educational institutions infuse the value education to the children in an informal way. They play a major role in developing pro-social behaviour in children.
The most common steps which can be taken in educational institutions to inculcate values include:
Teaching Accountability
The children should be encouraged to be accountable for their own actions and should learn to respect and treat others kindly.
Playing Role model
The teachers are the first role model to the children outside their family. When the children sees the model showing concern for others, motivating them for their good deeds and cooperating and helpful with their academic issues, the children learn them by observing and imitate it with fellow peers.
Teaching Basic morals and values
The children are taught basic morals and values in school. They should be taught by emphasizing the idea through many activities, stories and tales, which will encourage them to engage in more helping behaviours.
Appreciation
The teacher should appreciate the children for developing pro-social behaviour, especially for any specific action they have done to help others.
For Children with weaker moral development
Children’s ability to develop a relationship with peers is critical to their wellbeing. These children have difficulty in understanding social or nonverbal cues and they lack the ability to reason. The teachers play a role in helping these rejected children learn to listen to peers and “hear what they say” instead of trying to dominate peers.
Neglected children are helped to attract and hold their attention from peers. They are taught to ask questions, listen, and help them to establish interest groups or clubs where they integrate in a positive way.
Value Education through Schools
School is the basic stage in the process of socialisation and value education takes place at school level as the child is exposed to friends, teachers, syllabus and various extra-curricular activities.
Further, values cannot be taught like abstract subjects like history, science or math. However, they can be inculcated only through situations deliberately planned while teaching the subjects. For example, National Movement can be taught in such a way that it leads to inculcate the values of patriotism, secularism, universal love and tolerance etc. Similarly, World History can help to inculcate values of Liberty, equality and fraternity {French Revolution}, Fundamental Rights and equality {American Revolution}; Science can help to inculcate values of scientific temper, appreciation towards laws of nature; Indian Civics can help to inculcate values of respect to constitution, respect for democracy, secularism, integrity and unity of the country, social, political and economic justice etc. Further, math can help in inculcating the values of honesty and integrity; Geography and environment can help to inculcate values of respect for other’s culture, and world is one family {Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam}.
At the same time, teachings from the biographies of the great and noble leaders also inculcate the inspiring values among the students and people at large. For example, Mahatma Gandhi’s insistence on truth, non-violence and satyagraha teaches the basic human values.
Last but not the least, the education about constitution, particularly preamble; fundamental rights and duties gives out what values should be fostered through education.
Values are basic and fundamental beliefs that guide to motivate attitudes or actions. They help us to determine what is important to us. Values describe the personal qualitities we choose to embody to guide our actions, the sort of person we want to be, the manner in whihc we treat ourselves and others and our interaction with the world around us. They provide the general guidelines for conduct.
Values in a narrow sense are that which is good, desirable or worthwhile. Values are the motive behind purposeful action. They are the ends to whihc we act and come in many forms. Personal values are personal beliefs about right and wrong and may or may not be considered moral. Cultural values are values accepted by religions or societies and reflect what is important in each context.
Values are universal as they are shared by all the individuals regardless of their nationality, religion, gender, culture or history.
Values can be:
Innate - values due to our genes and conscience
Acquired - values imparted by social institutions and influences
Values can be inculcated very easily in early childhood and they have a long lasting impact on the conduct of the individual for thier entire life. Values are developed through various agencies
Family (first agent but is informal)
Educattional Institutions (first formal agency)
Society or peer group
Religion/culture
Media etc
The beliefs and values are imparted by family, society, educational institutions which ultimately leads to the change of attitude and behaviour of an individual
Role of Family
Family is the most important platform and foundation for a child to learn values. They are the first set of individuals that one interacts with. Children identify with their parents and other family members and adopt them as their personal models by emulation and imitation
Social standards and customs defined by a family provide the emotional and physical basis for a child. It leads to a disciplined and organized life. Family prepares an individual to the face the real world and equip them with all the essentials needed to copy with social others.
A child with a good sense of right and wrong are less likely to become sufferers of deviant influences
Ex. Drug addiction, values like kindness, love, compassion, respect, tolerance etc can inculcated through family values
A bad familial experience can seriously hamper the development of moral and mental capabilities of an individual. Family, being the primary and major agency of socialisation sets the pattern for the child's perspective towards. Folks and society, aids intellectual growth within the kid and support his aspirations and sensible values.
Some of the values and ways that facilitate up inciting kid in an exceedingly harmonius setting
Family provide informal way of learning, love, compassion, self-sacrifice and values of sharing and caring develop implicitly within a child
Praise and encourage exploring
Children observe and unconsciously imbibe values. Looking at the mother who cooks and care for whole family values of compassion is imbibed. If female members are treated with respect in the family and then respect for women is inculcated in the child
Set realistic goals for them
Acts itself as a task model
Sensitise youngsters towards weaker and marginalised sections
Set non-secular and cultural values for youngsters
Forbid indulgence in dishonest deeds
Helps youngsters to develop the sense of discrimination between right and wrong so they might develop thier own judgement.
Effect of styles of Parenting values
Style of parenting also play an important part to discipline children and inculcating values in them. They are:
1. Authoritative - believe in restricting the autonomy of their children and imposing the value system on them. It can lead to less empathetic, biased, self centered child.
2. Democratic - deal with thier children in rational and issue oriented manner. It also prove for positive re-enforcement on display of children's behaviour. Objectivieness, impartiality, tolerance, patience, etc. can be seen in such children.
3. Pessimissive - It is characterised by neglect, apathy and non-involvement of parents,children can devevelop negative values and follow negative role models
Role of Teachers and Educational Institutions
"Education which does not mould character is wholly worthless" - Gandhiji
Education is an effective and pervasive phenomenon for all round individual development and social transformation. A balanced development of mind and body in harmony with enhancement of human personality with value based education to achieve higher levels of consciousness.
Since the ancient times, the value educattion is being manifested and upheld in the society through Vedas, Upanishads, Epics, Buddhist moral code of conduct, etc. More importance was given to Morality, Honesty, Duty, Brotherhood, Friendship etc.,
Education plays as an important driver to enhance values.
Science increases rational thinking and questioning of old age beliefs
Literature helps us understand human nature and prevalent social values of a given era
An account of life history of great leaders like Gandhi's train journey to Pretoria shows how he stood against injustice
Content of a textbook plays important role in imparting value system.
Education also teachers important values through stories and real life examples. For example, lesson on Hellen Keller teaches important to grit and determination despite hardships
Educational Institutions help children in development of
Cognitive and Psychomotor skills - through curricular activities
Social and Interpersonal Skills - through extra curricular activities
It is the place where the seeds of discipline, develop, commitment are planted and fostered with deliberate efforts.
Teachers serve as the role models of students in schoools and they play a major role in inculcating ethical behaviour in them
Values like team work, leadership etc. are inculcated
Gokhale was a political guru of Gandhi and in many ways he shaped the ideology and outlook of Gandhi towards India and life.
If teacher is prompting his private coaching class during official class in the school, he is indirectly imparting materialistic
A child who was unduly published by the teacher will develop a wrong attitude
Role of Society in Inculcating values
Individuals grow older, their social worlds expand. They begin to look outside their home and toward other individuals in their neighbourhood as their companions for play and for sharing their mental thoughts. The neighbourhood is where individuals spend most of their time besides thier homes and schoools. The concept of neighbourhood has both physical and social meanings. But the social meaning is more important, as it is characterised by the social similarities of individuals .
Following values can be attached to society;
Man lives in society for his menntal and intellectual development, society preserves our culture and transmits it to succeeding generations.
Society brings morality and ethics in individuals
Individual discipline is brought by society via sanctions and rewards
It brings tolerance and national integration
Society removes the evils of social indifferences like caste trhougn collective struggle
Forgiveness enables us to be released from the sorrows of the past. Although it can arise spontaneously, it can also be developed. Before you can do forgiveness practice, you must be clear about what forgiveness means. Forgiveness does not in any way justify or condone harmful actions. While you forgive, you may also say, “Never again will I knowingly allow this to happen.” You can resolve to prevent further harm. Forgiveness does not mean you have to seek out or speak to those who caused you harm. You may choose never to see them again.
Forgiveness is an act of the heart, a movement to let go of the pain, the resentment, the outrage that you have carried as a burden for so long. It is an easing of your own heart. We have all been harmed, just as we have at times harmed ourselves and others.
For most people forgiveness is a process. When you have been deeply wounded, the work of forgiveness can take years. It will go through many stages—grief, rage, sorrow, fear, and confusion—and in the end, if you let yourself feel the pain you carry, it will come as a relief, as a release for your heart. You will see that forgiveness is fundamentally for your own sake, a way to carry the pain of the past no longer. The fate of the person who harmed you, whether they be alive or dead, does not matter nearly as much as what you carry in your heart. And if the forgiveness is for yourself, for your own guilt, for the harm you’ve done to yourself or to another, the process is the same. You will come to realize that you can carry it no longer.
To practice forgiveness meditation, let yourself sit comfortably, allowing your eyes to close and your breath to be natural and easy. Let your body and mind relax. Breathing gently into the area of your heart, let yourself feel all the barriers you have erected and the emotions that you have carried because you have not forgiven – not forgiven yourself, not forgiven others. Let yourself feel the pain of keeping your heart closed. Then, breathing softly, begin asking and extending forgiveness, reciting the following words, letting the images and feelings that come up grow deeper as you repeat them.
FORGIVENESS OF OTHERS: There are many ways that I have hurt and harmed others, have betrayed or abandoned them, cause them suffering, knowingly or unknowingly, out of my pain, fear, anger and confusion. Let yourself remember and visualize the ways you have hurt others. See and feel the pain you have caused out of your own fear and confusion. Feel your own sorrow and regret. Sense that finally you can release this burden and ask for forgiveness. Picture each memory that still burdens your heart. And then to each person in your mind repeat: I ask for your forgiveness, I ask for your forgiveness.
FORGIVENESS FOR YOURSELF: There are many ways that I have hurt and harmed myself. I have betrayed or abandoned myself many times through thought, word, or deed, knowingly or unknowingly. Feel your own precious body and life. Let yourself see the ways you have hurt or harmed yourself. Picture them, remember them. Feel the sorrow you have carried from this and sense that you can release these burdens. Extend forgiveness for each of them, one by one. Repeat to yourself: For the ways I have hurt myself through action or inaction, out of fear, pain and confusion, I now extend a full and heartfelt forgiveness. I forgive myself, I forgive myself.
FORGIVENESS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE HURT OR HARMED YOU: There are many ways that I have been harmed by others, abused or abandoned, knowingly or unknowingly, in thought, word or deed. Let yourself picture and remember these many ways. Feel the sorrow you have carried from this past and sense that you can release this burden of pain by extending forgiveness when your heart is ready. Now say to yourself: I now remember the many ways others have hurt or harmed me, wounded me, out of fear, pain, confusion and anger. I have carried this pain in my heart too long. To the extent that I am ready, I offer them forgiveness. To those who have caused me harm, I offer my forgiveness, I forgive you.
Let yourself gently repeat these three directions for forgiveness until you feel a release in your heart. For some great pains you may not feel a release but only the burden and the anguish or anger you have held. Touch this softly. Be forgiving of yourself for not being ready to let go and move on. Forgiveness cannot be forced; it cannot be artificial. Simply continue the practice and let the words and images work gradually in their own way. In time you can make the forgiveness meditation a regular part of your life, letting go of the past and opening your heart to each new moment with a wise loving kindness.
Deep Listening of Inner Wisdom
What Is the “Inner Voice”?
All your life there has been an inner voice offering guidance, gently and sometimes urgently. Sometimes you listened and other times you brushed it aside and thought nothing of it. This voice goes by different names: inner voice, inner guide, spiritual guide, inner wisdom, or whatever you choose.
How to Recognize Your Inner Voice
When first starting to listen for your inner voice, more than likely it won’t come through quite as clear as this. Think of an old penny with the brightness of the metal beneath dulled over time. However, with some elbow grease the dullness can be removed, revealing the brightness of the metal beneath that was always there. Just because you don’t feel these “aha moments” doesn’t mean they are not there; with some work, your receptivity can be shined up, making it easier to listen and feel when your inner voice is speaking.
With practice, you will learn to recognize when fear and doubt are drowning out your true inner voice that is struggling to be heard. You are listening to your inner voice when your body is filled with YUM, whereas the voice of fear and doubt fills your body with YUCK. You’re listening to your inner voice when you feel empowered, authentic, and peaceful. You will notice that good people and positive experiences are drawn to you with ease. You are listening to fear and doubt when you feel stagnant, unfulfilled, angry, and resentful. By listening to your inner voice, you become the creator of your life rather than a bystander.
Sometimes the inner voice offers a choice that is scary, making you hesitate and question the accuracy. However, more often than not, the most difficult choices are the ones that launch you toward a life filled with purpose, fulfillment, and joy, despite having to go through the gauntlet first—that’s when you learn and grow the most.
Clearing the Way
Listening for your inner voice is like training a new muscle. It won’t happen overnight, but if you make a consistent effort to hone it, the stronger it will become—like a tuner tuning into the right frequency. During this process, you will learn more about yourself and it will be a game changer. Just like with any new venture, it helps to prepare yourself and it also lets your subconscious know that you are truly ready to make changes. A few meaningful daily practices to put in place are ones you are probably familiar with:
Surround yourself with people who support you and your dreams
Meditate
While all of these practices are beneficial, meditation is like jumping on the fast track. Praying is talking to god (or creator), meditation is listening to god. With meditation, you find stillness and it is there you finally meet your true self, the one whispering to you all these years.
Meditation: Cultivating Your Inner Voice
Find a quiet place without disturbances and get into a comfortable position (avoid lying down unless you have physical limitations).
If you are seeking guidance regarding a particular situation, formulate the question now and write it down. Be specific as possible (this is for your eyes only so be open and honest). Place it beside you.
Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Begin to inhale deeply, and as you exhale, allow your body to relax even more. Take 2 to 3 of these deep breaths.
Notice where your attention is. If it’s outside of yourself, bring it back and center within your heart or solar plexus area, it’s helpful to place your hand on that area.
Now, silently ask yourself the following questions without judgment or expectations. You don’t have to know the answers.
• Who am I? • What do I want? • What is my purpose? • What am I grateful for?
Begin to repeat the mantra “So Hum” by silently thinking “So” as you breath in and “Hum” as you breath out. You will have thoughts and this is normal, simply drift back to the mantra each time. Practice this for 10 minutes (feel free to set a timer).
When finished, slowly open your eyes and notice how you feel.
If you wrote a question down, look at it and see if anything reveals itself.
Feel free to journal if you are inspired.
10 practices to get in touch with your inner voice.
If the whole inner voice thing is new to you, it can feel difficult to tap into it, especially if there are a lot of outward demands for your time and attention. Here are Richardson and Racioppi's tips to start accessing your inner voice:
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1.
Create space in your life and schedule.
When you're rushing through your days, the mind can race too, Richardson notes, so make sure you're giving yourself time to slow down. "The best way to tap into your inner voice is to create more space between your thoughts so your intuition can get a word in edgewise."
2.
Practice deep listening.
Active listening involves releasing judgment (and the impulse to respond) when someone else is speaking, fully tuning in to what they're saying. "When wepractice listening to others," Racioppi says, "we develop the capacity to listen to ourselves. And this is precisely what you need to listen to your inner voice and receive the guidance it wants to offer."
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3.
Don't neglect self-care.
Your own self-care practices can greatly influence your ability to tap into your inner voice, Richardson says. "Simply up your self-care game, and you will be amazed at how much more information you receive from your inner voice!"
4.
Try journaling in the morning.
Racioppi recommendsa practice called morning pages, which comes from Julia Cameron's book,The Artist's Way. "It's the practice of journaling three handwritten pages each morning that are a stream of consciousness," she explains. "Write anything that comes to mind to get going, and usually, by the end of the third page, your inner voice has revealed clear and concrete direction."
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5.
Develop boundaries.
Strong boundariesare essential in so many areas of our lives, particularly so if we're trying to access our inner voice. "Nothing will override your inner knowing more than letting other people's thoughts, demands, needs, desires, and authority override your own," Racioppi says. So, learn how to say no, check in with yourself before saying yes to anything, and learn to trust yourself, she adds.
6.
Learn more about intuition.
We all have a sixth sense, inner voice, or level of intuition just waiting to be tapped into, Richardson says. But, "many times what holds us back from maximizing our intuitive potential is not having enough knowledge of the sixth sense," she notes. "Simplystudying your intuitioncan awaken and strengthen your inner voice."
Racioppi adds, "By getting to know how your intuition speaks to you, you'll deepen your capacity to receive information, and more importantly, you'll attune yourself to understanding to your unique ways of being guided."
7.
Get curious about fleeting moments of insight.
Your inner voice and intuition—even when matter-of-fact—are easy to ignore, Racioppi says. "They are subtle feelings, a quiet knowing, and a gentle guidance system. They will not override your choices, you have to choose them."
It's easy to brush over an aha moment, a wave of goosebumps, ora weirdly specific dream, but the more we learn to pay attention in those instances, the better we'll become at discerning and understanding them. If it helps, Racioppi recommends tracking those moments in a journal.
8.
Mind your physical and mental health.
If you want to access your higher knowing, you'll need to make sure your baseline needs are taken care of too, Richardson says. "Get whatever emotional support you need from loved ones and professionals," she says. Additionally, "maintaining more balance in your physical body through a healthy diet, supplements, and moderate exercise can help you feel more balanced emotionally. When your system feels balanced, it can be easier to discern the difference between your inner voice and an emotional reaction."
9.
Spend tech-free time alone.
Allow yourself to be in silence with few distractions, particularly no phones, computers, or TVs. You could try a meditation practice, though Racioppi says simply being alone in silence is enough. "Don't try to force your inner voice to speak to you; create the conditions required for deep inner listening; quiet alone time."
10.
Practice being in flow states.
And lastly, find a project or projects thatget you into a flow state—"a state of being so involved in the work you are doing, or the task at hand, that you lose track of time," Racioppi says. Being in flow feels incredibly freeing and therapeutic and can give you the mental space needed for your inner voice to come through.
Journaling Gratitude
Gratitude Journal Benefits Based on Science
According to Robert Emmons and Michael McCullough, the leading researchers on Gratitude, their research on gratitude journaling has shown benefits such as:
Greater connection to others
Increased personal joy
Better Sleep
Exercising more regularly
Lowering symptoms of physical pain
increase the connection to others for the joy and lowering the systems of pain
Why?
On a subconscious level, gratitude journaling helps counterbalance our negativity bias.
If someone compliments your new haircut or outfit, you will likely not remember it beyond the moment in question. If someone disses your style, however, you will likely remember it forever.
What do you focus on?
Criticizing and focusing on problems comes easily. For most of us, appreciation and focusing on the good takes effort. By keeping a gratitude journal, you develop a practice that keeps you accountable to developing appreciation and enjoying happier days.
Translating thoughts into concrete language—whether oral or written—has advantages over just thinking the thoughts: It makes you more aware, deepening the emotional impact.
In Emmons and McCullough’s study, they found that:
Compared to those who were not jotting down their blessings nightly, participants in the gratitude condition reported getting more hours of sleep each night, spending less time awake before falling asleep, and feeling more refreshed upon awakening.
Writing a Gratitude Journal will make being grateful as natural as breathing. It just happens without you realizing. It is like using a toothbrush, daily, for your mind.
How To Keep A Gratitude Journal
Many people have great intentions when wanting to practice gratitude, but unfortunately they do not go about it the right way.
We hear people say they are grateful the weather is nice, for their partner, or their new iPhone,and then quickly carry on with their day. The gratitude stays very general and does not sink in.
Here are two key ways to effectively practice gratitude in a powerful way - so all those good feelings stick at a core level and you actually become happier!
1) Connect with something specific
The more detailed you can get while writing what you are grateful for the easier it is to connect with the emotion.
Think about your favourite book. Authors do not just generally describe something bluntly but get into detail to help the reader visualize the scene. Novelists do not just say, “he drove a car,” they say, “he drove a black Mustang that sounded like it held a grudge."
For example, today you may write, “I am grateful for John.”
Do you actually feel good writing that down? If not, get specific. What is it about John that makes you grateful?
2) It matters less what you write; It matters more what you experience and feel:
Inevitably, writing down gratitudes will feel repetitive. After an initial high of focusing on the good, many journalers throw in the towel because continuing to write what they are grateful for feels lifeless, just going through the motions.
Enter Bob.
Bob was writing the same things he was grateful for every day and got tired of the repetition. We asked him what he is writing about.
Bob said, he writes that he is grateful for his intelligent beautiful wife, adorable goldendoodle, and his good health.
When asked where he feels that gratitude, and Bob drew a blank. He said he usually just thought of the gratitude and put pen to paper.
When we ask ourselves what we are grateful for, we try our best to wait for the feeling to kick in before putting pen to paper. We try to visualize our gratitude and why it actually matters to us. This feeling usually happens in our chest, that place where we feel the intensity of a new love and excitement.
By waiting a bit longer for that sensation, we know it is coming from a deeper place where we are able to affect our body and mind. This is the way to do gratitude journaling.
Take a moment to experience this yourself.
What are you grateful for? Really. Right now.
Hand on your chest, right over your heart. C’mon. Feel that sensation deep inside.
THAT is gratitude.
The thinking usually comes rapidly, but the feeling takes a little bit longer. Waiting for the emotion—the wonder and awe—makes all the difference when the pen hits the paper.
What Should I Write in a Gratitude Journal?
When you first begin it may be easy thinking of gratitudes to write at random, but despite having the best intentions to write soul fulfilling lists, you will inevitably face “gratitude block.”
From here you have a choice: either quickly write a general intellectualized gratitude (world peace!), take a moment to ‘feel before you write’ (but I have to get out the door for work!) or option 3.
What is option 3 you may ask?
It’s how Tim Ferriss (best-selling author of the 4 Hour Work Week, 4 Hour Chef and 4 Hour Body) writes gratitudes.
So how does Tim practice gratitude?
Instead of thinking of random gratitudes each day, he uses categories:
Relationships: An old relationship that really helped you
An opportunity that you have today
Something great that happened or you saw yesterday
Something simple near you (clouds outside, pen you are holding, etc)
Instead of trying to color with every gratitude crayon in the box, he uses just a few. What if today you just focused on relationships you are grateful for? Or things you are grateful for about your health? Or all the shows on Netflix you cannot live without?
We usually find that having a day where you select a "category" helps generate gratitude ideas more quickly.
Gratitude Journal Prompts
Taking the categories one layer deeper, here are example prompts to get your mind going. Some of these will take some time to go past your initial resistance or self-criticism. Dig deeper. There are gems there!
Relationships:
What is an old relationship I am grateful for?
What qualities do I appreciate in a co-worker?
What is one quality I admire about my partner?
What positive quality have I picked up from my friend?
What positive quality have I picked up from my mom?
What positive quality have I picked up from my dad?
What do I admire about the employees at the places I frequent?
What positive quality do I really admire about myself?
What positive qualities of a role model do I value?
How can a perceived weakness of mine also be a strength?
Today’s Opportunities
What is one thing I am looking forward to today?
What is an opportunity I have today that most people don’t that I can appreciate?
What one thing (within my control) would make today great?
What is something I am better at today than I was yesterday?
What can I appreciate about today’s weather (in a non-cynical way)?
What is one thing I appreciate about my health?
What positive quality can I find within something I think will suck today?
What do I appreciate about the career skills I have today?
What can I appreciate/accept of my financial situation?
What can I appreciate about my appearance today?
Past Opportunities
What is one good thing that happened during the day?
What obstacle have I overcome that I appreciate about myself?
What did I appreciate about a former job?
What do I admire about my childhood?
What is a past experience that felt bad at the time that I can appreciate now?
What am I grateful for that I learned in school?
What is one thing I appreciate about my ancestors that allowed me to live the life I have?
What do I appreciate about the food I ate (or didn’t eat) today?
What sight did I see yesterday that I found enjoyable?
What scent did I smell yesterday that I found enjoyable?
Other things
Pick one object you love. What do you love about it?
What do I appreciate about the home I live in?
What do I appreciate about the city I live in?
What do I appreciate about the country I live in?
What do I appreciate about the restaurants I frequent?
What is one piece of clothing I appreciate?
What do I appreciate about the music I listen to?
What is one thing I appreciate about my body?
What food do I really appreciate and why?
What type of art do I appreciate and why?
When Should I Write A Gratitude Journal?
We are big fans of writing what you are grateful for first thing in the morning and reflecting on the good things that happened throughout your day right before going to sleep.
Here’s why.
Wisdom from ancient and modern times teaches that the beginning and the end of the day are times to think, evaluate, and correct course. Such established positive rituals are not restricted to the domain of ultra successful CEOs or Buddhist monks.
Have you ever had a day when you woke up and it felt like everything was going your way? Everything was effortless, and all you wanted to do is smile?
By starting each day off with gratitude, you get a “hit” of those good feelings first thing in the morning. You are fresh, still waking up and have the precious opportunity to set the tone for the rest of the day with a strong morning routine. Think of it as a hit of caffeine for the soul.
Similarly, what do you typically do before you go to sleep? Do you have a nightly routine?
The average person is glued to their screens spending hours on devices right before bed. It keeps our brains running, disturbs our sleep, and worse may cause us to feel worse about ourselves.
What if you choose to use this time to invest in yourself? In your well-being? Never underestimate the benefits of self-care.
You will find that gratitude journaling instantly helps you shift your focus on the positive and short-circuit negative thought loops. No matter how intense your day was, you will sleep a bit better having shown some gratitude. It is that simple.
