Today’s lesson deals with how King David reacted to his circumstances. To get your students thinking about how they feel in different situations, start by asking a few questions about their experiences. Have you ever paid attention to the way you react when the unexpected happens? We can learn a lot about ourselves if we stop and take a look at our attitude.
- Tell about a time you had a really good surprise! How did you react? (Be prepared to share your own story to prompt discussion.)
- What’s the most disappointed you’ve ever been? (Encourage students to discuss, but be careful to avoid gossip or oversharing.)
- Have you ever tried to be grateful even when you were disappointed or things weren’t quite what you expected? What happened? (Answers may vary.)
It’s easy to be thankful when we have everything we want, but it’s a little more challenging to stay positive and thankful when things are tough!
Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of gratitude as shared by neuroscientist Andrew Huberman.
Read the following benefits out loud for your students:
“A gratitude practice offers numerous benefits for both mental and physical health, as highlighted in discussions by Andrew Huberman on the Huberman Lab. Here are the key benefits:
- Enhanced Well-Being
- Resilience to Trauma
- Improved Social Relationships
- Physiological Changes (such as lower inflammation levels)
- Neural Circuit Activation (such as a decrease in anxiety and fear)
- Cognitive and Learning Benefits (such as enhanced learning abilities and creativity)
- Long-Lasting Effects (such as improved mood and mental health)”
- What does this list teach us about the benefits of gratitude? (Answers may vary.)
- Have you ever tried to show thankfulness even when you were experiencing something challenging, such as losing a game, doing poorly on a test, or having a friend move away? Did it feel harder to be thankful in that situation than when you weren’t in a tough situation? Talk about that a little bit. (Accept all reasonable responses.)
Gratitude is actually good for us and benefits our health! While it’s easier to be thankful when times are good, it can be hard to feel thankful when we’re experiencing tough times. In today’s lesson, we’ll hear a story about someone who chose to be thankful even though it would have been easy not to. Let’s find out why.