WELLBEING:

KTHS Chaplaincy & Wellbeing Invitation.

Every organisation operates on a complex and varied set of policies, procedures, and expectations. Administrators often work in the background of organisations to navigate complex interactions between policies and the real-world of daily work and challenges. August 7th is Principal Appreciation Day, so this week we will take time to acknowledge our new Principal, Klate McFarlane, and our Assistant Principal, Dean Smith. 

KTHS runs successfully despite a constant flow of daily changes, and it is thanks to the excellent work of our principal's.

Gratitude.

In her article describing gratitude, Millacci (2017) draws on other academics to bring clarity to this topic:

“According to Dr. Robert Emmons, the feeling of gratitude involves two stages. First comes the acknowledgment of goodness in one's life. In a state of gratitude, we say yes to life. We affirm that, all in all, life is good and has elements that make it worth living. The acknowledgment that we have received something gratifies us, both by its presence and by the effort the giver put into choosing it.

                Second, gratitude is recognizing that sources of this goodness lie outside the self. One can be grateful to our creator, other people, animals, and the world, but not to oneself. At this stage, we recognize the goodness in our lives and who to thank for it. The two stages of gratitude comprise the recognition of the goodness in our lives and then how this goodness came to us. Through this process, we recognize the fortune of everything that improves our lives and, ourselves.” 

Gratitude is a powerful tool that can help us to overcome many of the harsh realities and complaints that drain life of its vibrance. Let’s take a moment to look towards those in our lives who daily balance our complaints and the complaints of others to keep our schools and workplaces running successfully. 

Reflection: 

• Think of some people in your life who work in the background to keep everything functioning.
  • What parts of their job are you most thankful that you don’t have to do?
  • What are the skills and traits that make them especially suited to this role?  
  • If you don’t know what they do day to day, how can you learn more?
  • What can you do or say to let them know that you see their efforts and appreciate the work they’ve done? 

References:

Mallacci, T. (2017, Feb 28). Gratitude and appreciation: A complete guide. PositivePsychology.com. https://positivepsychology.com/gratitude-appreciation/