President Kathy Myers presented herself as the speaker on November 23, 2021 with little fanfare, noting most everyone knew all about her. Her topic for the program was Attitude of Gratitude and she utilized a series of slides to organize her presentation into various parts.
The introduction included an overview of research studies she had reviewed, listing the definition and the underlying benefits derived from gratitude:
-it may be broadly defined as the appreciation of what is valuable and meaningful to
ourselves.
-it makes you happier.
-it helps you sleep better
-it improves you physical and mental health.
-it can help our financial life.
-it improves our work life
This set the stage for a participatory exercise by the members of the club in the form of a Gratitude Quiz. Using booklets on the tables, they were given a list of statements and asked to individually rank them 1 thru 7: 1 STRONGLY DISAGREE, 2 DISAGREE, 3 SLIGHTLY DISAGREE, 4 NEUTRAL, 5 SLIGHTLY AGREE, 6 AGREE, 7 STRONGLY AGREE.
The statements were:
- I have so much in life for which to be thankful.
- If I had to list everything, I feel thankful for, it would be a long list.
- When I look at the world, I don’t see much to be grateful for.
- I am grateful for a wide variety of people.
- As I get older, I find myself more able to appreciate the people, events, and situations that have been part of my life journey.
- Long amounts of time can go by before I feel grateful to something or someone.
Club members were directed to add up their scores for items A, B, D, & E. They were directed to invert their scores for items C & F (1 becomes 7, 2 becomes 6, etc.), add them to the total. President Kathy speculated, based on our club membership being a “happy group,” most of us scored between 35 and 42, demonstrating a high degree of gratitude and appreciation in our lives. She indicated that, based on research, there are various ways to impact gratitude.
In the last part of her presentation, President Kathy explored these practical, researched ways, by posing the question “How Can We Cultivate Gratitude?”
Write a Thank You note
She noted that a thank you note becomes a treasure and provided note cards, and envelopes the members could take home and utilize for this activity.
Thank someone mentally
Simply find ways to do this, such as while driving, etc.
Keep a Gratitude Journal
List each day a pre-selected number of items you are thankful for that day. Include items you may be thankful that don’t happen.
Count our Blessings
Take a moment to think about all the things that went right and how moments of gratitude make you feel. Especially those moments of giving.
Prayer
Even if not religious, a small prayer of gratitude.
Meditate
Practice mindful meditation, focusing on the present without judgement, being grateful for the simple things of nature, etc.
Kathy summed up her presentation by reminding us that as we move forward this Thanksgiving week, take the booklet with us. Start writing down those things we are thankful for. Take the note cards and write a thank you note to someone you care for. Let them know how much you appreciate them. Citing author Lisa Ryan, “If you tell someone, you leave a memory. If you write it down and give it them, you have given them a treasure”, Kathy encouraged us all to follow through in this exercise. She encouraged us to share with someone why you are grateful for them this week and ending her presentation.
Asad Khan prefaced a question by thanking Kathy and asked what her inspiration for the program was. She indicated that her happiness is linked to maintaining an “attitude of gratitude” and keeping things in perspective, especially during this week of preparing for the Thanksgiving celebration.
Responder
The response was provided by Nelson Burns. He Thanked President Kathy for her presentation, noting that her husband Tom and son David were happy they did not have to respond. He noted that her message reminded him of the idea that in giving gratitude, you get it back twofold! He pointed out that we all can apply the ideas she presented over this Thanksgiving holiday.
