Pollyanna Wisdom

One of my favorite movies when I was a kid, and for years afterwards, is Pollyanna with Hayley Mills. This story seems to stress an appreciation for the basics...

• a home
• a room of one's own and a bed
• good food
• being able to love and be loved
• family or finding family
• friendships
• helping others
• an experience of community
• personal growth
• inquisitiveness
• positive thinking
• and gratitude for what you have

I cannot imagine this movie ever growing old and becoming out of date. These are the basics of any good life and what we all strive for. And... this list is a perfect reference for gratitude journal prompts.

Pollyanna is also a great teaching tool for introducing children to the concept of gratitude and positive thinking. Viewing the film or reading the book as a family, provides a wonderful springboard for conversation.

Links:
Pollyanna, the movie with Hayley Mills
Pollyanna, the book by Eleanor H. Porter

The Wisdom of Wizard of Oz

Image from the 1939 M-G-M Studios movie classic, Wizard of Oz

The story of The Wizard of OZ is a timeless tale packed with life lessons: appreciating home and family, facing your fears, seeking your heart's desire, self discovery, the power of friendships, and the ability to find the answers within.

Here are 7 gratitude journal prompts based on the words and dialog of The Wizard of Oz.

1. "There's no place like home."
   What is it that you love and appreciate most about "home?"
2. "Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas any more. We must be over the rainbow!"
   What life changes have added more "color" to your life? What has helped you shift your world from greys to more vibrant hues?
3. "Somewhere over the rainbow Way up high, There's a land that I heard of Once in a lullaby. Somewhere over the rainbow Skies are blue, And the dreams that you dare to dream Really do come true."
   What dreams, wishes, or hopes have become a reality in your life?
4. "I'd be tender, I'd be gentle, And awful sentimental, regarding love and art. I'd be friends with the sparrows and the boy that shoots the arrows, if I only had a heart..."
   Think of something that you or someone else has done out of the kindness of your/their heart.
5. "I could wile away the hours, Conferrin' with the flowers
   Consultin' with the rain, And my head I'd be scratchin',
   While my thoughts were busy hatchin', If I only had a brain..."
   Think of a "smart" decision you made, a solution found, or a new way of looking at something in your life.
6. "Follow the Yellow Brick Road"
   Think of an example of a time you followed the path in life which was truly your own. A time in which you did what felt right for you, moved in the direction of your dreams and desires, and were true to yourself.
7. "Lions, and Tigers, and Bears! Oh My!"
   What have you done in spite of your fears? Think of an incident where you were able to summon up the courage.

Week 10 - YOU: Weekly Gratitude Journal Prompts

Week 10: YOU
 
You spend all day and every day with yourself. There's no one who knows you better than you do. The focus of this week's gratitude journal prompts is on the many aspects of you to be grateful for. Spend time this week in appreciating who you are, your special qualities and abilities, and what makes you Uniquely YOU.

This is the tenth and last of the Weekly Gratitude Journal Prompts, at least for now.

Gratitude Journal Links
The Gratitude Habit Journal: http://tinyurl.com/TheGratitudeHabit
Parenting the Gratitude Habit: http://amzn.to/1SyRjpJ

Week 9 - Senses: Weekly Gratitude Journal Prompts

Week 9: Your Senses

Wow!! Imagine life without the ability to see, to hear, to taste, to feel? This week's gratitude journal prompts focus on our senses and our experiences with each of them. As you go through this last week of the year, do so with an awareness and delight in the gifts your senses have to offer.

Gratitude Journal Links
The Gratitude Habit Journal: http://tinyurl.com/TheGratitudeHabit
Parenting the Gratitude Habit: http://amzn.to/1SyRjpJ

Week 8 - Your Home: Weekly Gratitude Journal Prompts

Week 8: Your Home

There is so much to be grateful for in and around your home. No matter how much or how little you have, a home is filled with things that make life easier and support your days. And in itself, a home provides a means for protection, comfort, and in most cases, a safe haven.

Also, consider the reasons to feel grateful for the location of your home and the surrounding area.

Gratitude Journal Links:
The Gratitude Habit Journal: http://amzn.to/1loEhRL
Parenting the Gratitude Habit: http://amzn.to/1SyRjpJ 

Week 7 - Places: Weekly Gratitude Journal Prompts

Week 7: Places

There are many locations we have lived, experienced, and loved that live in our minds and hearts for one reason or another. There are places we would choose to spend time, alone or with others, to find peace, to have fun, or to visit in our memories.

The focus of this week's gratitude journal prompts is on the places in our lives.

Gratitude Journal Links:
The Gratitude Habit Journal: http://amzn.to/1loEhRL
Parenting the Gratitude Habit: http://amzn.to/1SyRjpJ

 

Week 6 - Human Connections: Weekly Gratitude Journal Prompts

Week 6: Human Connections

Human connections are such an important part of our life experience. We interact with one another through more than words. In a face to face communication we pick up on subtle and not so subtle facial expressions, tone of voice, body language, and even the energy and mood of the person we are speaking with. The gift of a person's presence in our life can be experienced so beautifully through hugs, touch, and smiles. In fact, it's always remarkable to be able to hear the sound of a smile, in someones voice, over the phone.

This week's prompts are dedicated to the many ways in which we can connect with one another.  As you go through the week, notice with gratitude the interactions you have with the people in your life.

Week 5 - Favorites: Weekly Gratitude Journal Prompts

Week 5: Favorites

We all have our preferences. When we think of any of our favorites, we inclined to smile or feel good inside. We have developed a relationship, through a history, with our absolute favorite book, music, and flavor of ice cream, for example. When we think of our favorite food, we can practically taste it. When we think of our favorite place, we can see it in our mind's eye or feel what it's like to be there. It becomes quite easy to feel the gratitude we have for our first choice preferences.

This week's daily gratitude prompts encourage us to look at the things of life that put a twinkle in our eye and a smile on our face. There are seven days of journal prompts listed but take the time to appreciate many more of your favorites this week and consider what it is about them that makes you feel grateful. (... favorite color, city, vacation, friend, time of year, sound and scent, day trip, piece of clothing, and the list can go on and on.)

Make sure to create experiences this week with some of your favorites. Work them into your days to have a more joy-filled week.