Greetings, 

I hope that you have been well! It’s been very busy at IEPD and the work is very gratifying.  As I say that, I realize that sometimes at the end of the day, I don’t take time to notice what went well and what I am grateful for.  With November upon us, it is an opportune time for us to follow this practice. Recognizing what you are grateful for at the end of each day not only nourishes us, it has an impact on those around us.  Yet, this can be hard when we are surrounded by challenges BUT, that is when it is most vital.

There has been many challenging and heartbreaking events in our world lately.  When faced with these challenges and worries, it is hard to think about what is going well.  

Practicing gratitude during these times can help improve our mental and emotional well-being and provide us with the space to support others.  Some steps you can take even when facing difficult circumstances include: keeping a gratitude journal, take steps to help even if these are small and seem insignificant, practice mindfulness, find those positive influences, volunteer and help others, accept your feelings, seek out the positive, set achievable goals and find support when needed .

Understanding our gratitude is something we don’t often stop to do, Positive Psychology touches upon this topic while offering some exercises for gratitude. I hope you find this as helpful as I did, https://positivepsychology.com/gratitude-exercises/.

At IEPD we have much to be thankful for and you are all a part of this. Thank you for partnering with us for your professional development needs. We know that there are many choices and we are grateful you choose to work with us. 

We are wishing you and your family a wonderful November. 

Warm regards,
Jody Figuerido, Ph.D.
IEPD President