“What do you say mate?” your mum nudges you as the waitress hands you your dinosaur nuggets.
“Thank you.”
You have always been told to use good manners, and to say thank you, but what does thank you actually mean? Is it just two meaningless words uttered with monotonous regularity, or is it a tool that can alleviate mental health issues generating happiness and a sense of wellbeing? Gratitude is the sunlight that lights up those dark days.
The ability to be grateful is at the core of personal success.
Why we should we be grateful.
We all know that gratitude is the quality of being thankful. It is also widely known as a big part of tackling mental health issues that plague our youth today. Almost half of the population suffers or has suffered from mental health related issues.
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 3144 Australians took their own life last year and, of these, 112 were children under the age of 17.
Shocked? We should be.
As a society, we must take immediate action to save these lives. Gratitude has the power to reduce these numbers drastically and make the youth’s feelings of happiness, skyrocket.
So how does gratitude really work?
Gratitude has been linked directly to improving mental health. By focusing on the positive aspects of life and appreciating what one has, gratitude can shift attention away from negative thoughts and promote a more positive mindset. It is as simple as writing down three things a day for which you are grateful.
The result? You will realise that your life is worth living.
Don’t believe me, well, it was proven in a study regarding gratitude. In 2010 two world leading scientific researchers and Harvard psychologists, Dr Emmons, and Dr McCullough, conducted a study whereby participants either wrote about things they were grateful for, or daily irritations. After ten weeks the findings were groundbreaking. They discovered that those who wrote about gratefulness, felt more optimistic and felt better about their lives, whilst the others felt miserable and negative.
Yet another example of the myriad of benefits of gratitude is the increased resilience which with you will be armed. Practising gratitude can encourage you to look for the best in any situation and the lessons that could be learned. This newfound resilience will empower you with not only a positive mindset but with a belief that you can and will overcome challenges. You will look for the light in the darkest situation, the silver lining.
A study done by Gloria and Steinhardt in 2016 found a link between gratitude and resilience noting that “Gratitude fosters adaptive coping mechanisms”. This means that when faced with challenges such as having 11 assignments due next Tuesday, you can practise gratitude to develop healthy responses to stress.
So, what now?
Too many teenagers are depressed, overwhelmed with schoolwork and burdened by unhealthy relationships. But this doesn’t have to be you.
Start being grateful, and you will find a complete shift in your wellbeing. All that has to be done is take five minutes before bed to write down some things by which you are grateful, could be lunchtime touch, dinner, or even your best mate. So, together, as a TGS community armed with gratitude let's create an environment where saying " thank you" is not just a polite gesture but a tool for personal success and happiness.
- By Daniel Wilson, Year 9 TGS student
References
J., & Wong, J. (2017, June 6). How Gratitude Changes You and Your Brain. Greater Good; The Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley. https://greatergood.berkeley.e...
Carpenter, D. (2018). The Science Behind Gratitude (and How It Can Change Your Life). Happify.com. https://www.happify.com/hd/the...
Harvard Health Publishing. (2021, August 14). Giving thanks can make you happier. Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu...
Mindful Staff. (2019, November 25). How to Practice Gratitude. Mindful. https://www.mindful.org/an-int...
Latest Blog
It Takes a Village...
The Toowoomba Grammar School Boarding community plays a pivotal role in shaping the young minds of our boarders and instilling values whilst creating a sense of mateship that can last a lifetime. The nurturing and supportive network of staff not only ensure a safe and structured environment but also cultivates a sense of belonging and camaraderie among the boys. ‘The staff supply the fuel to the ship but ultimately it is the boys who steer it and decide upon its final destination’. Our TGS…
Unlocking Literacy - The Big Six Elements for Your Child’s Reading Success
Literacy skills are a core component of each day for our students, and parents often ask how they can support this from home. I am delighted to share with our parent community the essential components that underpin successful reading development. These elements, known as the Big Six, provide a solid foundation for your son’s literacy journey. These critical building blocks include: Oral Language: Communication skills are the bedrock of reading. Encourage rich conversations with your child.…
The Journey of a Boarding Mother
When you look up mother in the dictionary it reads: female parent of a child. When you look up boarder, it simply reads: a child who lives away from home. So, put “boarder mother” together and we have: the female parent of a child who lives away from home – if only it were that simple. My definition of boarding mother is: a strong, dedicated unbelievably great female parent of a child who has the wisdom to put her son’s educational needs, wellbeing and lifelong endeavours before her own. A…
The Importance of Differentiation
As parents, we all want our children to have the best possible education, and one of the most effective ways for teachers to provide this is through differentiation. Differentiation means tailoring instruction to meet the unique needs and interests of each student, and it can take many forms. First, let's define differentiation. Differentiation is a teaching approach that recognises that students have different strengths, interests, and learning styles. By adjusting instruction to meet these…
Addressing Anger in Teenage Boys
As a community dedicated to the growth and well-being of our teenage boys, it is essential to address the complexities of emotions we experience during adolescence. Among these emotions, anger stands out as a powerful and intense feeling that can influence their behaviour, relationships and overall wellbeing. Untreated anger can lead to a myriad of problems and challenges for our young boys. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the dangers of untreated anger, ways to support healthy…
Study Skills Program
Just as teachers benefit from an understanding of the Learning Sciences in their lesson planning and preparation, so to do students when they are studying for major summative assessments. A survey of TGS students in Years 9 to 12 found that 70% of our boys felt that they knew how to study, with the biggest impediments to study being lack of motivation and too many distractions. The most highly preferred study technique was found to be rewriting notes. Cramming, rereading the text and rewriting…
Developing Teachers Worldwide
I recently had the pleasure of attending the 2023 International Boys’ Schools Coalition (IBSC) Annual Conference at Westlake Boys High School in Auckland, New Zealand, in my capacity as a Team Leader in the IBSC Action Research Program. Action research is a systematic inquiry conducted by teachers in their own classroom to better understand the impact that an aspect of their practice is having on their students. Each year, 40 teachers from IBSC member schools from around the world are accepted…
Developing a Sense of Belonging for our TGS Boarders
How do we adequately develop a teenager’s 'sense of belonging' in boarding? Head of Boyce House, Boarding, Mr Michael Hall has investigated how 'Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs' applies to boarding. It is a psychological theory that suggests human beings have a set of fundamental needs that must be fulfilled in a hierarchical order. The theory proposes that individuals must first satisfy their physiological needs before moving on to higher-level needs, such as the 'belongingness' that is so…
Kia Moemoeā – Dream Beyond Limits
A 12-year study has found that boys consistently perform better in an all boys’ school compared to boys in co-educational schools. This was one of several interesting topics presented at the recent International Boys’ Schools Coalition (IBSC) Conference in Auckland, New Zealand which I attended alongside three of my Toowoomba Grammar School colleagues – Mr Luke Rawle, Mr Dave Klan and Mrs Jessica Galbraith. We joined 600 leading educators from 15 countries around the world for the four-day…
