The Gratitude Bio-Hack

November 30, 2021

Welcome.

We appreciate you taking the time to work on your leadership and social/emotional skills. Here's a review of what we covered in our time together:

The Triune Brain

Meet them where they are.

Where are you spending most of your time?

Answer these questions for yourself:

Which layer of your brain is dominant these days?
What helps you to shift?
How can you identify where others are in their mental state?

Creating Positive Shifts

Tools for elevating not only how someone feels but also the utility of their brain.

The Gratitude Hack

The easiest and fastest way to create a shift.

Shifting away from fear.

The science of gratitude. Engaging the hypothalamus can create a chemical reaction that triggers a shift into a better mindset.

Gratitude:

A special video from the 2017 YLS.

Who are you grateful for?

Answer the following questions:

Someone who has changed my life is...
What they taught me is...

PRACTICE GRATITUDE

Here are some strategies for practicing gratitude in your community.

Wall of Gratitude

Distribute index cards and have everyone write a few lines of gratitude to someone in their lives. These cards can be anonymous. Then post the cards on a common, visible wall in the class/office. It will serve as a visual reminder of the importance of expressing kindness and gratitude.
Occasionally, if you sense that the groups energy is getting negative, revisit the wall and read one random card aloud. See how it changes the feeling and perspective of the room.

Gratitude Blitz

Use social media platforms and blast out messages of gratitude to your community and members.
Example: Each year at the YLS the students take 30 minutes to craft posts, messages and emails. Then they post them to all their platforms with a few special hashtags like #Gratitude #GEARUPWORKS etc. It's amazing the ripple they create as messages come back to them and others pay it forward.

The B.O.N.E.

The B.O.N.E. stands for the Bank of Negative Energy. This is a great exercise in practicing awareness of our negative self-talk. Have students fold and cut a single piece of paper into 20 small pieces. Have them put their initials on each piece. Label a cardboard box as the "B.O.N.E." and place it somewhere central where it can be seen by all. Explain that each time you become aware that you are having a negative thought, you take one piece of your paper out of your pocket and put it in the box. At the end of class/day count up how many pieces you still have in your pocket. Discuss how much negativity we experience and how to move through it.