Attitude is Gratitude

Through an “Attitude of Gratitude” mindset, we learn that we can use the positives or the negatives of our lives as the foundation on which to build. By choosing to focus on the positives, we put ourselves on a path toward extraordinary success; choose the negatives, and we embark on the potential path of disappointment. 

The 4 critical components of Attitude of Gratitude:

1.  Treasure Yourself – We create the wonderful lives we want by harvesting the great things within us. There are often things we don’t like about ourselves, but we must recognize that we’re made of far more wonderful things than not. We need to recognize our own worth and see our uniqueness as something to treasure and develop so we can live the extraordinary lives we’re meant to live.
   
   
2.  Be More Grateful – We all have the choice to focus on the good or the bad in life. If we focus on the positive things, they expand and guide us down the path to our dreams. If we spend our time in regret, jealously, and anger, then the negatives multiply and we likely find our dreams sidelined and our goals unattained. We must simply be more grateful, reflecting as much as possible on the good things in our lives as well as those that are coming to us.
   
   
3.  Thank it Forward – One of the best and quickest ways to feel better and become happier is to do something for someone else. The easiest as well as one of the most powerful things we can do for someone is express gratitude for who they are and what they mean to us. Thanking someone provides two wonderful gifts: it makes the other person feel good, and makes us happy at the same time.
   
   
4.  Elevate Your Perspective – People who have achieved great lives point to moments of great adversity and challenge when they learned a critical lesson or built the essential skill that allowed them to be successful. Knowing this, we understand why it is important to seek the positives from all situations, even those that seem completely negative. When we do this, we get better, learn, and grow in essential ways that help us to live richer and fuller lives.

Top 4 Do's and Don’ts at Home:

1.  Do practice gratitude every day, even if it’s only to tell your children how grateful you are to have them in your life. If you have a journal, write down the things that you’re thankful for every day, both the big and small. Verbalizing what you’re grateful for is a powerful way that both you and your children can keep from taking things for granted and remain thankful for all that you have.
2.  Do say “thank you” regularly. Showing your gratitude to neighbors and teachers with a kind note or word is one small way to show your appreciation for them. Teaching your children to do the same is important in helping them to feel gratitude for the lives and friends that they have.
3. Don’t let the bad times be all bad. Try saying to yourself, “I can’t wait to find out what good will come from this!” This helps you look at all situations as leading toward positives in life.
4.  Do write a thank you note to your children for what you appreciate about them. For example, you might write and leave a note that says, “Thank you so much for picking up your room today without me even asking. You are an incredible kid and I am so thankful to have you in my life!”

Dinner Time Discussion:

•  Before beginning your meal, ask everyone around the table to share something for which they are grateful.
•  Ask probing questions.  Instead of accepting your child’s response at face value, ask, “Why?”, and don’t take “I don’t know” as a response.
•  Ask: “If you could do one thing to help someone else, what would it be?”

Activities to Do with Your Child

1) A New Story of Me – https://www.7mindsetsacademy.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Parentnewsletter/Lifeplan/A%20New%20Story%20of%20Me.pdf

2) Being More Grateful – https://www.7mindsetsacademy.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Parentnewsletter/Lifeplan/Being%20More%20Grateful.pdf

3) My Thank You Notes – https://www.7mindsetsacademy.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Parentnewsletter/Lifeplan/My%20Thank%20You%20Notes.pdf

4) Becoming an Inverse Paranoid – https://www.7mindsetsacademy.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Parentnewsletter/Lifeplan/Becoming%20an%20Inverse%20Paranoid.pdf

5) Gratitude Journal -buy a journal for child to write in every night what they are thankful for

100% Accountable

The 100% Accountable mindset teaches the importance of being responsible for our own happiness and success. Being 100% Accountable means deciding not to be victims of the past and recognizing that the future is not predetermined, so our lives are what we choose in the present moment and each one moving forward. This mindset is about the importance of breaking down barriers and taking responsibility for our thoughts and actions. It also allows us to free our minds and focus our energy on taking the critical steps towards our goals.

The 4 critical components of 100% Accountable:

1.  Own Your Life – If we give away the freedom to act and think for ourselves, we’re more likely to become victims. This happens when we allow the opinions of others and their actions toward us to matter more than our own feelings toward ourselves. We must begin the process of owning all aspects of our lives and actions, and take responsibility for every moment and situation. When we do, we prevent others from asserting control of our lives.
2.  Overcome Limiting Beliefs – The greatest limitations in our lives are those we place on yourself. These come in the form of fears, excuses, and what we call the counter mindsets. It is these limiting beliefs that distort our belief systems and drive ineffective or destructive behaviors. We can, however, reprogram our thinking to overcome and eliminate limiting beliefs. 
3.  Focus Your Energy – The people who get the most out of life do the most with the 24 hours each day that we all have. These individuals spend more time doing things that give them energy and use this energy to learn and accomplish what’s most important to them. We must constantly restructure our time in order to get the most out of the moments we have. When we do this each day, we take powerful steps toward reaching our dreams.
4.  Grow Through Life – Life is about learning, and it’s a process of continual growth. We must recognize this and seek growth from all experiences, good and bad. When we do, we are constantly getting better. We must also pro-actively develop our strengths and build new skills. As we do this, we truly become 100% Accountable and capable of creating the lives of our dreams.

4 Things You Can Do at Home:

1.  Model the 100% Accountable mindset at home.
2.  Encourage growth in everyday life.  Some of our routines and tasks are productive and make us stronger, while others have no benefit, weaken us and may be counter-productive to living a great life.
3.  Discourage the blame game.  When you blame or resent others, you focus a lot of time thinking negatively.  This prevents you from doing what you need to do to live your dreams.
4.  Be solution-focused and not excuse-driven. Our greatest limitations are those we place on ourselves. When you make excuses, you are beaten before you even try.

Dinner Time Discussions:

• Don’t settle for one word responses by asking, “How was your day?”
•  Instead ask, “What was great about your day? What was the most difficult part of your day?”
•  https://thefamilydinnerproject.org/fun/rose-and-thorn/

We Are Connected:

During the month of November we are highlighting the We are Connected mindset. The We are Connected mindset helps us understand that everyone who comes into our lives can help us achieve and live our dreams.  Working with, for, and through others is crucial to realizing our dreams.  When we understand this and seek the positives from our relationships with others, our performance in every area of our life improves. In the lessons for this mindset, we help students explore synergies with others, embrace diversity, and relish the competition that will allow them to maximize their potential by working with the through others.   

The 4 Critical Components of We Are Connected:

1. Embrace Everyone- Every person that comes into your life will either be a positive influence or a negative influence or no influence at all. It makes sense to figure out how that person may be able to help you, because the other options mean that you aren’t getting closer to your dreams. People who live great lives embrace everyone and constantly seek ways to serve and be served by the people they come into contact with.
   
   In order to figure out what type of influence a person might have, you must first, welcome them into our lives and resist judgement.  Start a conversation and find out more about them.  You just never know when you might meet a life long friend! 
   
   
2. Maximize Positive Relationships- There are people in our lives that lift us up and make you better.  Unfortunately, there are also those people that have a tendency to bring us down.  Work to spend more time with those that empower us, and less with those who don't.  Take a minute to reflect on your relationships and identify who in your life is empowering and supportive of your dreams.  Seek ways to get more out of and put more into the great relationships in your life. 
   
3. Build Your Dream Team- Building your Dream Team is about identifying individuals in our lives that can help us realize our dreams.  Perhaps these individuals have life experiences and wisdom we can draw from, access to resources and information we will need, or can provide us with vital support as we start the path toward our dreams and learn to overcome the obstacles that may stand in the way. The important step is to recognize the critical role others play in our lives and strive to be more intentional by developing and fostering relationships with others that we will need. 
4. Lead With Value- Lead with Value is all about cultivating those connections with others. When we find people who can help us in life, we need to start building those relationships quickly so the cycle of giving can begin. In any relationship, no matter if it is with family members, our friends, teachers, coaches, etc., an important lesson we can learn is that if you offer to help someone BEFORE you ever have to ask for help yourself, you will ultimately gain more from that relationship. When we lead with value, we are building those important relationships, offering help, and looking for ways we can add value to our existing relationships.

4 Do's and Don'ts

• DO Spend time talking about and modeling the We are Connected mindset at home by embracing everyone. Find ways to connect with others, and learn something from them. Every situation that a child shares with you is an opportunity to talk with them about how to seek ways to serve and be served by others. 
• DON'T spend time talking about others negatively.  It's better to focus on the positive things that people bring into our lives rather than on the negative experiences others may create.  Keep in mind that "energy flows where attention goes" when discussing and focusing our energy on others.  By directing attention to the wonderful things others do, we draw positivity inward, and teach our children how to seek the good in relationships with others.
• Do look for ways to connect with other people.  By celebrating life with friends and family and spending time going places with others and connecting, children learn the importance of these relationships.  Realize that you are a role model for how to deal with others, and know that they'll continually look to you for guidance.
• Do find ways to give back and lead with value in the community.  Serving others teaches us a lot about ourselves and the importance of cooperation. You never know who might be the next person to help you through something, help you get a new job, or assist you with something else, so it's always a good idea to put yourself out there and help others first.  It is much easier to receive help when others know you're willing to do the same for them. 

Discussion 

• Spark conversation with your child about which friends they consider as empowering and supportive in their social circle, and which friend(s) is most draining and toxic to their life.
• Share your own experiences with empowering and toxic relationships from your own life...past & present.
• Initiate discussion with your child about their Dream Team.  Who are the individuals they have selected for their Dream Team and why did they chose them? 
• Ask your child what one thing he/she did today to make someone smile.
• Challenge your child to do or say one nice thing for someone else tomorrow.

Everything is Possible

During the month of October, we are highlighting the Passion First mindset. The Passion First mindset teaches us that we are all unique expressions of human existence.  It's vital to find out what our individual strengths and talents are so that we might connect them with our goals and visions for the future.  In the Passion First mindset, we work with students to understand their unique gifts, their skills and strengths, how to share them with the world to maximum extent possible.  Not only will they explore their interests, they will begin to identify their core values and what they stand for.  The next step is helping them learn how to make their dreams into reality, tapping into both the courage and perseverance needed to overcome any challenges they encounter in pursuit of the lives they desire.  

The 4 Critical Components of Everything is Possible:

1. Focus on Strengths- What are your strengths? What are the things you’re really good at (math, sports, music, etc.)? Whatever these things are, put some focus on them this week. It is important to play to your strengths in life, and to spend time doing the things you're best at in order to create the most value for yourself.  When we do the things we are good at and pour ourselves into what we are passionate about, it brings positivity to our lives and people take notice! Cultivate your strengths~ and you'll discover your PASSION!!
   
   We all have things that we do well,  When we do what we're good at, we perform better and get better results, which benefits both us and those around us.  It is critical to play to our strengths and spend time doing what we're best at in order to create the most value.  It is also important to know that our strengths are much more than what we do well, as they also include the situations in which we thrive and the people with whom we're at our best.  Understanding all of these strengths will multiply our successes. 
   
   
2. Explore Your Interests-  We all have thing we enjoy doing.  When we like doing something, we do more of it, even in our free time!  When we do things that energize and engage us, our focus is greater, we perform better, and improve faster.  Doing these things more often, with a greater degree of focus, allows us to become great at them.  And when we're great at anything, the world notices, and value to others increases, and more wonderful things flow naturally into our lives.  When we do things we love, it SHOWS!!!  We feel good, and others can feel our energy.  As we reflect on College & Career Week, when are reminded that when we dive deeper and Explore Our Interests, strengths, and passions, we may just be uncovering the path that very well leads to our future dream career...if you are so lucky!!  
   
   
   
3. Take a Stand- It is very important to play to our strengths and interests whenever possible.  It is equally important that what we choose to do is important to us.  It must matter deeply, because there will inevitably be challenges, and this will allow us to persevere.  We all have to do things we aren't necessarily good at or enjoy, which is why we must understand our core values.  We will always be strongest when we act from our values; this is when we wield our greatest power to overcome obstacles and challenges.  What we stand for or matters most to us, can be the guiding compass for us to discover our best path to success. 
   Advisement Lesson led by the Lanier Counselors
    
   
4. Be Authentic- Great dreams must start within!  To something EXTRAORDINARY, a dream must leverage our strengths & interests, it must align with who we are & our core values), AND it must matter deeply to us.  When all of this is in place, we perform at our best and are our most determined selves.  The fulfillment of all great dreams involves a combination of performance & persistence!  Help your child gain greater clarity on a positive future by helping them leverage their authentic selves and tap into their inner strengths and interests.  Encourage your child to connect their authentic talents, passions, values, and desires with goals that will have the most significant and meaningful impact on their life.
   Advisement Lesson led by Lanier Counselors

4 Do's and Don'ts

• DO recognize your child's strengths and passions.  Children (of course) like to be complimented on what they do well.  Often, they concentrate on their weaknesses and miss opportunities to fell proud of their accompishments.  It is best to focus on the things they can do well.  Some children are more athletically-inclined, some are detail-oriented, some a great communicators, some are highly artistic, some are musically-inclined.  Recognizing these strengths in your child and praising them helps encourage them to continue and allow their passions to blossom.
• DO create a Family Motto ~ Spend time with your child discussing core values.  Children need to know what they stand for and what's important to them.  Some families establish family mottos dealing with respect for others and giving back to the community.  For example, "What you can conceive and believe, you can achieve!" or "Be a victor, not a victim."  Having conversations about what is important helps your child discover who they are. 
• DON'T berate a child for dreams or passions that you do not agree with or find interesting. Each person has his or her own set of unique characteristics and skils. It's important to recognize that there are no better or worse passions. The interests of others should not be categorized as "good" or "bad" dreams or desires. Being respectful of whatever dreams a child has is important for them to be happy and enjoy their unique gifts and talents.
• DON'T discourage them with talk about how their passions won't result in financial gain or success.  The job market shifts and changes.  In fact, it has been suggested that 65% of today's students will be employed in jobs that don't even exist yet.  Children should not be discouraged  when it comes to their talents and interests based on current trends in the job market.  Actors and actresses, musicians, and artists are often discouraged from these fields, yet there are endless success stories of those who were determined to follow their hearts and pursue their passions and dreams.

 Discussion 

• Discuss the importance of granting yourself the gift of a little personal time just for you. Everybody is busy, but rushing through this process can defeat the purpose. After all, it’s that crazy busy rush through life that keeps us from getting in touch with who we really are and what we really want. Just this once, set aside a little time to forget about your to-do list and allow yourself to be mindful and in the moment. You could even put on some music that you find pleasant and soothing, something that filters out distractions, quiets your mind, and makes you feel peaceful.
  
  
• Even though you may already know, ask your child "What are your hobbies and interests"?  Having them take some time to evaluate their extracurricular activities and understand what potential value their personal hobbies and interests might have is time well spent.  As they begin to think about career paths they may be interested in, this exercise can have a significant impact on shaping these next few years and allowing them to focus on those things they are passionate about.
  
• Ask your child what challenges they face at school or with their friends. Talk about how to overcome obstacles. What strategies do they have in their toolbox to resolve or overcome these challenges.

Everything is Possible

The Everything is Possible mindset is about dreaming big, embracing creativity, thinking positive and expecting great things. With this mindset we are no longer limited by what has happened in the past, our own limiting beliefs or our present reality.

The 4 Critical Components of Everything is Possible:

1. Dream Big- Everything in our lives from cell phones, to shoes, to makeup, to social media was once someone’s big idea! When we let ourselves have big dreams, we are increasing the expectations that we have for our lives. Think about what your big dream is...or even a goal you'd like to achieve in the next month or so....pay careful attention to what you need to do to accomplish your goal.  What are you doing RIGHT NOW to make your goals happen?  Remember, when you think big, dream big, and believe big....your results will be BIG!!
   
   
2. Embrace Creativity- Embracing creativity means using your imagination and trying new things so you can reach your big dream. The only time we are creating new things in life is when we're being imaginative and innovative.  If we want new experiences and things we've never had, we must do things we've never done.  This could be reading a book to acquire new knowledge, debating a topic with a friend, trying out a new hobby, learning a new skill or talking to new people who will help you to expand your mind.. Life can only change and expand through creative action.  There isn't a wrong or a right way to reach the goals you have set for yourself, and there definitely isn't an only  one way....you need to find YOUR way!  By embracing creativity, we can do things we have never done before.  Tap into your inner creativity and follow wherever it leads!
   
   
3. Think Positive- Encourage positive thinking in your life. This means finding the positive in all situations and expecting good things from other people. Be a happy, positive person who others want to be around! There will always be challenges and obstacles to overcome in life...you can choose to feel defeated during tough times and become a victim of your circumstances, OR you can choose to focus on the positives and look for opportunities to grow through difficulties....THE CHOICE IS YOURS!
   
   
4. Act and Adjust- It's important to plan and develop strategies, but only if they drive you to action. Doing nothing, is not an option because you end up being in the same place you were, and will stay right there unless some action is taken on your part. The greatest obstacle to taking action is fear of failure. The most successful people in the world know that there is no failure, only feedback. Learn from your mistakes and move on. This is the only way your dreams will ever become a reality. Act on them and be prepared to adjust.  Advisement Lesson lead by the LMS Counselors
   

4 Do's and Don'ts

• DO be a Dream Catcher not a Dream Snatcher
• DO celebrate and support innovation and creativity in the home.  Whether it's through crafts, play or games, seek opportunities for your children to tap into their imaginations and creative capacity.  One major concern with access to technology and devices is our children's inability to get bored.  Boredom has long been the source of innovation and creativity.  Create more space in your child's life and push them to innovate and create.  The capacity to use boredom to their advantage will benefit them for the rest of their life.
• DON'T foster perfectionism.  Perfectionism is a primary cause of anxiety, locking us up and preventing us from taking action due to fear of failure.  This is most prevalent in young people living in a world of reality TV, perfect selfies, filters, and sensationalism.  More than ever, they must understand they are human and that mistakes are a healthy part of learning and growing up happy and successful.  Let them do their own work,let them make mistakes and let them learn to grow through adversity while they are under your roof.
• DO Highlight growth in failure or mistakes made, and capitalize on "teachable moments," how important it is to learn from setbacks and continue moving forward.   

 Discussion

• Ask your child about their big dreams and goals for life
• Celebrate risk taking and failure.
  • One great practice at the dinner table is to ask your child what they "failed at that day" or what didn't go very well. Rather than focus on the mistake or loss, ask them to consider how they can grow from it, what they learned, what new skill could be developed, what relationship would be created or expanded, etc. Congratulate them for trying, and point out that the people who succeed are those who take risks and fail, so your kids are in good company and on their way.
    
• Focus discussions on what you child will accomplish rather than what they won't.   Help guide them to thoughts where they are living their    dreams, and direct their attention toward what they are going to do to achieve them. 
• Ask questions to find out what may be holding your child back from reaching their full potential.