David J. Pollay's Blog: Three Questions that Matter. Here’s #3.

Today, I want to share with you the last of the 3 questions I recommend that we ask each other when we want to spark meaningful and insightful conversations in our families.

Here was my First Question. Here was my Second Question. Here’s Question #3.

Question #3

“What were you ‘grateful’ for today?”

We do our children a great service when we help them understand the power of gratitude. We help them realize how many good things and how many good people are in their lives. Our question gently directs them to think of what they value and care about.

Sociologist Georg Simmel wrote, “Gratitude, as it were, is the moral memory of mankind.” Our inquiry prods our children to thank the people who have helped them. And we know from Positive Psychology research that the more grateful we are, the happier we become.

Think about asking one of these questions to deepen your gratitude conversations:

- “Why are you grateful for that?”

- “What about that makes you grateful?”

(Note: These questions are just as great for adults, and they are particularly interesting questions to ask around the holidays.)

Questions guide and stimulate

The beauty of these three questions is that they stimulate our children’s thinking on a deeper level. Subconsciously these questions influence our children throughout the day: Our children know that we expect them to be grateful, find something good, and learn something new every day.

And don’t forget to answer these questions yourself. Your children will understand what’s important to you: You will model what you value. And you will personally feel the uplifting benefits of focusing on these three questions.

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As always, when you have time, let me know how you’re doing. And remember to share your stories with me.

Best to you,

David

p.s. Remember to keep sending me your stories about how you are applying The Law of the Garbage Truck™ to your lives, families, and businesses. Email me at [email protected].

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David J. Pollay is the creator of The Law of the Garbage Truck™. He is a syndicated columnist, creator and host of The Happiness Answer™ television program, and an internationally sought after speaker. David’s book The Law of the Garbage Truck: Take control of your life with one decision and change the world will be published by Sterling Publishing (a Barnes & Noble company) in September, 2010. You can find out more about The Law of the Garbage Truck™ at www.thelawofthegarbagetruck.com.

David holds a Master’s degree of applied positive psychology (M.A.P.P.) from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Bachelor’s degree in economics from Yale University. He is the founding associate executive director of the International Positive Psychology Association. You can catch David’s newsletter here. You can reach him at [email protected], and you can read David’s blog at www.pollayblog.com.