Page 193 - Resources and Support for the Online Educator

Gratitude 17

is to break this habit by declaring “No Complaints” days. Vow to
spend a day focusing on what’s right with your life, not what’s
gone wrong. At the end of the day, reflect on how you feel. Do you
notice a difference?
5. Thank-you notes: A heartfelt verbal thank you covers many occa-
sions, but there are times when more formal acknowledgment is
needed. Most people appreciate the extra effort required to write a
thank-you note, address and stamp it, and drop it into a mailbox.
The next time you want to let someone know you are grateful for

Activity 1 GRATITUDE JOURNALS: Online Tools

• Penzu Online Journals (penzu.com/gratitude-journal): Penzu offers
free, secure online journals for a variety of uses. Optional mobile apps
make your online journal available on any device. The website discusses
gratitude journals, their purpose, and tips to get started. There are also
links to templates for readers who prefer recommended formats.
• Online Word Processors: Tools such as Google Docs (docs.google.com)
or Microsoft 365 (office.com) are also fine for keeping private journals.
You can create your own format or look at the templates linked to the
Penzu journal tool above to get some ideas.
• Kids’ Gratitude Journals: If you ask kids to write gratitude journals,
you’ll need to consider privacy issues and use composition books
instead of writing online. Of course, if your school is a GAFE (Google
Apps for Education) or Microsoft 365 school, students younger than 13
have permission to use online word processors.

Activity 2 GRATITUDE DISPLAYS: Online Tools

In addition to the gratitude display formats suggested in the first activity
description, you might consider a digital display. There are several tools that
make it easy to create and share digital posters that include text, images,
audio and video. Here are a couple tried-and-true online tools:
• Poster Maker (postermaker.com): This free basic tool allows you to
create posters using clip art provided or upload your own images. You
may save an image of your poster to print or share online.

• ThingLink (thinglink.com): Free and premium accounts available. Use
ThingLink to create hyperlinked digital posters; add text, audio, video,
and images to enhance the display.

Pathways to Well-Being: Helping Educators (and Others) Find Balance in a Connected World 193