Thanksgiving and Veteran's Day are coming up this month which means it time to start thinking about the things that we are grateful for. Every year we challenge you to think about some of the things that you are thankful for. Here is the research behind gratefulness, as well as our challenge to you. We will be working on our Gratitude Challenge with the kids during our Veteran's Day Camp on Friday, November 10th. Adults and Teens we encourage you to do a gratitude challenge, as well.
Posi
This month in honor of Thanksgiving and Veteran's Day we are focusing on "Gratitude".
Mercer Island Martial Arts utilizes the latest research in areas such as positive psychology and exercise physiology to create a martial arts program that is both modern and mixed with martial arts traditions. Here is just one of the many activities that we are currently doing with our students along with a short description of what positive psychology is.
Positive Psychology
A refreshing change occurring in
I love these fall months especially with Thanksgiving around the corner-- what a wonderful month. Everyone takes the time to be truly thankful for everyone and everything in their life. Although, in my opinion, it should be year round. On November 11th we have a full day camp and part of the camp is introducing our gratitude challenge to the kids, but it would be wonderful if all of our students got involved! So I'll start first, I am so grateful for of my family and friends, they are all so
1: My first hero is President Obama. He is my hero because he is the first African-American president.
Also, to become president, he had to have a good attitude, hope, and many other things that helped him become president such as brains, confidence, and good leadership. That shows me that anything can be possible if you just work hard and believe.
2: My second hero is my mom because she helps me where I need help and 
always has fun with me. Also, she teaches me character, manners and the im
1 One hero is Master Strongheart because she has taught me from defense to sparing. She gives me nice encouragement, trust, and respect since the first day of martial arts. Also she is very enthusiastic. Thank you Master Strongheart for everything that you taught me through out my life.
2 My next hero is my mom because my mom is very nice, thoughtful, and respectful to everyone. Even if she is tired when she gets home from work she still has energy to take me to martial arts with no complaint
I watched this video upon the recommendation of an amazing friend, and teacher. Had to share it here. We have done, and will continue to do gratitude raising projects, and do so for many reasons.
One being the mounting evidenced based research on the roots, and traits of those who are psychologically more resilient. And this video brings so clearly to another reason: the personal pleasure, and happiness, a more highly cultivated sense of gratitude brings to one's life.
Enjoy-- a thousand ho
"The Gratitude exercise is a powerful tool for increasing life satisfaction because it amplifies good memories about the past, and it forges a very strong bond with an important person from your past. The goal of this exercise is for you to experience the power of expressing your gratitude to someone who has touched your life." as written by someone at the reflexsivehappiness.com (web site no longer working)
At the end of the post, below, is a video of Dr Martin Seligman, considered the found
