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Intro: There are already a lot of group therapy activities about gratitude because gratitude is so important and so powerful when it comes to positively transforming our lives. There are the usual things that are bound to come up when discussing gratitude. Some common (but very important) things that people are often grateful for are:
Appreciating Life’s Little Joys
As a change of pace in the discussion of gratitude, this activity is focused on identifying, sharing, and discussing the smaller things in life that we should take the time to feel grateful for.
Getting Started: Discuss the following saying and what it means to you personally:
Activity: Embracing Life’s Minor Miracles
Directions: As a group, discuss the following list of ideas below about noticing and appreciating some of the small things in life to increase feelings of gratitude, which is essential in increasing happiness and in strengthening the recovery and positive change process.
A small or silly little thing that my [choose family member] does for me that means a lot is….
A memory that may not seem like a big deal to others, that really makes me smile is….
One unusual trait that is common among the people in my family that I love is….
When my family is together, one inside joke that we will probably end up laughing about is…
I appreciate that in my life I can count on never having to go too long without….
When I am outside or in nature, something small that makes me feel peaceful and alive is…
Not everyone knows this about me, but a lesser-known thing about me that I appreciate is…
When I wake up in the morning, this seemingly insignificant thing can start my day off right…
A gift I received that was of little monetary value that meant a lot to me was….
A place that may not be well known that is special to me is…
A little distraction in life that I enjoy thinking about from time to time is…
An achievement I made that is not a big deal to many but is meaningful to me is….
A day-to-day place or moment that I feel comfort is…
A song that has a special meaning or significance to me is….
These simple but kind words can mean so much to me when spoken at the right time…
A time when someone was kind or thoughtful that I won’t forget is…
An opportunity that I have had that I can really feel grateful for is…
This small or insignificant thing can bring me a sense of calm sometimes is….
A sound that can trigger positive emotions for me is….
An aspect of the weather (sunshine, rain, wind, snow, etc.) that can be meaningful to me is…
A common food or drink that is special to me is…
Two things that I can really appreciate together in my life are ____ and ____
One thing that the counselor in this group has done or said that I appreciate is….
One thing that [choose group member] has said or did that I appreciate is….
A small thing that helped me since I have been in this group is…
Process Questions to Close Group
How did it feel to discuss the small things in life that you appreciate?
What can you do to increase your ability to notice the little things in life that you are grateful for?
Why is important to take the time to be grateful even for the smaller things in life?
Was is one take away from this group that you are grateful for today?
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