Open sentences on gratitude
I am grateful for what I am and have. My thanksgiving is perpetual. It is surprising how contented one can be with nothing definite―only a sense of existence. ―Henry David Thoreau
👥 Serves: 11-25 people, 2-10 people
🎚 Difficulty: Medium
⏳ Total time: 11-30 minutes
🥣 Ingredients: “Active hope” book by Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone (if you’re curious to find out more about it!)
🤓 Wholebeing Domains: Awareness, Community, Positive Emotion
💪 Wholebeing Skills: Abundance, Centring, Closeness, Contemplation, Gratitude, Happiness, Hosting conversations, Joy, Multiperspectivity, Relating to Others
Open sentences on gratitude
📝 Description
Open sentences to discover gratefulness.
The following activity has been taken from Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone’s book Active Hope: How to face the mess we’re in without going crazy. The book explores how to cultivate the practice of active hope and become active participants in bringing about what we hope for.
When talking about gratitude, the authors see it as an antidote to consumerism as it helps place a higher value on meaningful relationships than material possessions. “With materialism, security is based on having the right things: we know what these right things are by keeping an eye on our neighbours and on current fashions… Gratitude pulls us out of this rat race. It shifts our focus from what’s missing to what’s there.”
👣 Steps
Step 1 – Open sentences (30’)
Read the following beginnings of sentences, and see what words seem to naturally follow. You can think this to yourself, or put it in writing, or try it with a partner or a group of people, taking turns to speak and listen. It is worth devoting a few minutes or more to each sentence. Whenever you’re not sure what to say, come back to the beginning of the sentences and see what naturally follows – it may be different each time you do this.
- Some things I love about being alive on Earth are…
- A place that was magical to me as a child was…
- My favourite activities include…
- Someone who helped me believe in myself is or was…
- Some things I appreciate about myself are…