workwell-newsletterheader_062819
Gratitude Campaign Logo

Express your Gratitude!

Sign up TODAY!

Why is Gratitude Important?

Gratitude is the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. When you experience gratitude, you feel grateful for something or someone in your life and respond with feelings of kindness, warmth, and other forms of generosity.

Research has shown that gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude can help individuals feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their physical and mental health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships. Specifically, studies have shown that feeling thankful can improve sleep, mood, and immunity. Gratitude can also decrease depressive symptoms, anxiety, difficulties with chronic pain, and risk of disease.

Not only does expressing gratitude affect yourself, but it also benefits the person on the other end of the gesture.



Challenge Instructions:
1. Register for the challenge
2. Take the pre-survey
3. Complete the daily gratitude activities each day
  • Prompts and guides available below the calendar image and HERE
4. Record that you completed the activity by clicking on the activity tiles HERE

Scroll down past the calendar to see the gratitude daily activities!

Gratitude Calendar KW

Gratitude Campaign Daily Activities

11/14: Gratitude Quiz
  • Take the Quiz
  • Find out how grateful you are at the start of this challenge
  • See which areas you can improve in
  • You can take this quiz again after the Gratitude Campaign and see how your score changes!
11/15: Gratitude Wall @ the Wellness Center
  • Stop by the UND Wellness Center any time from 6:00am - 10:00pm to write what you are thankful for and see our gratitude wall come to life!
  • Enter your name into a $20 Scheel's Gift Card Drawing - 4 winners chosen!
  • Not on campus? Make your own wall! Put sticky notes in your office or break room and invite co-workers to share what they are thankful for.
11/16: Card Writing
  • Write a letter to someone you care about or have not talked to in a while. You can follow this guide or write what you like.
    • Write as though you are addressing the person directly
    • Describe what this person has done that makes you feel grateful and how they have impacted your life
    • Describe what you are doing in life now and how frequently you remember their act of kindness or generosity
11/17: Social Media Break
  • Unplug for ONE DAY. You can choose to delete the apps from your phone or simply not open them. Turn off notifications.
  • Negative aspects of social media:
    • Inadequacy about your life or appearance
    • Fear of missing out (FOMO)
    • Isolation
    • Depression & anxiety
    • Cyberbullying
    • Self-absorption
  • Try these activities instead:
    • Cook or bake a new dish, read a book, play a board game / cards, watch a feel-good movie, or spend time with a friend
11/18: Mindfulness Walk
  • Bundle Up! Go for a walk outside and make a special effort to appreciate your surroundings.
    • You can do this by focusing on each of your senses, one at a time. Spend a minute listening, a minute looking at your surroundings, and so on.
    • Try to notice the sights, sounds, smells, and sensations you would usually miss, such as a cool breeze on your skin, or the clouds in the sky.
11/19: Call a friend or loved one
  • Take this opportunity today to reach out to someone you have not talked to in a while. You can write something out or say things that come to mind.
  • Tell them you love them and that you are thankful to have them in your life.
11/20: Gratitude Journaling
  • Write out what you are grateful for. Follow these prompts or write what comes to mind:
    • I am grateful for my family because…
    • Something good that happened this week…
    • I am grateful for my friendship with… because…
    • I am grateful for who I am because…
11/21: Gratitude Conversation
  • With another person, take turns listing 3 things you were grateful for throughout the day
  • Spend a moment discussing and contemplating each point, rather than hurrying through the list.
  • You can make this part of your daily routine by practicing before a meal or before bed.
11/22: Random Acts of Kindness
  • Take part in at least ONE Random Act of Kindness. Here are some ideas:
    • Pay for someone’s coffee
    • Pay for someone’s groceries
    • Bring in treats to work
    • Compliment a stranger
    • Donate flowers to a nursing home
    • Tip generously
    • Leave a note for a co worker
    • Lend a friend a favorite book
    • Write your coworker an encouraging note
11/23: Gratitude Contemplation
    • Remove yourself from distractions such as phones or TV
    • Spend 5-10 minutes mentally reviewing the good things from your day
    • This technique can be practiced as part of prayer, meditation, or on its own
  • After reviewing the day, think about how you feel now compared to the start of the Gratitude Campaign. This could be a good time to retake the Gratitude Quiz!

Did Someone Say Prizes?!

hockey image GC KW
LOG IN and check off your daily gratitude activities! Those who complete 8 out of the 10 daily activities will be entered into a drawing to win a PAIR of UND Hockey Tickets!

Ticket Info: Saturday, January 21st @ Ralph Engelstad Arena 6:07pm
UND vs UMD

What IS the Gratitude Campaign?

The Gratitude Campaign gives participants daily gratitude activities to complete. After participating in these activities, participants will feel more comfortable implementing gratitude into their everyday lives. Each day focuses on a different way to show gratitude. Try them all out and see which one(s) you enjoy most! Researchers suggest that gratitude should be practiced daily.

Log your daily gratitude activities and get entered into a drawing for a chance to win pair of UND Hockey Tickets! You must complete 8/10 gratitude activities to be entered.

The Gratitude Campaign runs from November 14 - 23

Log Your Gratitude Activities TODAY!

Our mission is to advocate for a culture of wellness for UND faculty and staff through innovative engagement opportunities. UND.edu/workwell | 701.777.0210