Sir Godfrey Gregg

The holiday season naturally invites reflection on what we’re grateful for, and research shows that practising gratitude significantly improves mental health, relationships, and overall life satisfaction. As you enjoy your break and prepare for 2026, make gratitude and kindness central themes of your holidays.

Start a gratitude practice. Each day, write down three things you’re grateful for—big or small. Your health, supportive family, good friends, your favourite foods, opportunities for education, comfortable home, talents and abilities. This simple practice rewires your brain to notice positive aspects of life more readily, which improves your mood and resilience.

Express appreciation to people who’ve supported you. Thank your teachers before the break ends—a heartfelt note or email expressing gratitude for their efforts. Thank your parents for providing for you. Tell friends what their friendship means. These expressions strengthen relationships and make everyone feel valued.

Extend kindness widely during the holidays. Help with household chores without being asked. Be patient with siblings. Include someone who might be lonely. Share what you have. Small acts of kindness create ripples that extend far beyond the immediate moment, improving the world while improving your own character.

Volunteering during the holidays is especially meaningful. Help at a food bank, visit elderly neighbours, participate in charity events, or donate items you no longer need. These activities provide perspective, combat entitlement, and connect you to your community. They remind you of your capacity to make a positive difference.

Carry this spirit of gratitude and kindness into 2026. Imagine approaching the new year with a mindset focused on appreciation rather than complaint, on giving rather than just receiving, on contributing rather than just consuming. This attitude makes challenges more bearable and successes more meaningful.

The way you spend these holidays—grateful, kind, generous—sets the tone for how you’ll move through 2026. Choose to make gratitude and kindness your guiding principles, and watch how they transform both your experience and your impact on others.