Making 'Thank You' a Habit

Now that we're about halfway through National Thank You Month and a couple weeks into our New Year's resolutions, (keep it up!) we want to encourage saying 'Thank You' beyond just the month of January. Did you know it takes 66 days to form a habit? With that being said, how can we stick to this resolution (let alone our own personal resolutions)? Here a few tips to continue having 'Thank You' and gratitude as part of your daily routine.

1. Start Small! 
• You don't have to say 'Thank You' 100 times a day (maybe a future goal?). Find one or two things to explicitly say thank you for each day. Make a point to say it, write it, or creatively show it. You'll probably find that you have a lot more than two things to say 'Thank You' for. You can eventually work your way up to saying it more and more!
2. Write in a Gratitude Journal
• Bullet Journaling is becoming incredibly popular these days. It takes only a few minutes to write down a few quick things about your day, and it's a great opportunity to take the time to write down what you're thankful for! This could be that someone held the door open for you, it was extra sunny, or just positive things about your day in general. Looking at these bullet points helps you hold those moments a little bit closer, and it can boost your mood when you flip back through previous days. 
  
3. Volunteer, Give Back
• Take the time to do something for others - it's shown to help you also feel good about your own strengths! You can volunteer for various causes or keep it as simple as taking the time to listen to a friend, smile at someone you don't know, hold the door for somebody, and MORE. The list could go on and on! 
4. Schedule Spontaneity and Do it Regularly
• We all love receiving notes and gifts at random, and we can make saying 'Thank You' a random act! Turn this into a habit by scheduling that spontaneity into each day to go out of our way to appreciate someone. The big takeaway of this point is to do it regularly. Whether you're verbally saying 'Thank You' to someone, sending a gift, or finding joy in the small things of life - it's the mindset of being thankful. Take nothing for granted, and enjoy the little moments that make your day brighter. 
  

We can make saying 'Thank You' and expressing gratitude part of each and every day! We hope you continue to incorporate gratitude beyond this month. Again, it can be a small gesture or acknowledgement of someone - it's always the thought that counts.

2013 Preview: What You'll Learn at Camp

Lessons nine and ten
are my life. 

As I was perusing the camp-blog world, I stumbled across a blog post that was written with inspiration from a poem by Robert Fulghum, "All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindegarten." America's Finest Summer Camps is a blog for four camps on the east coast (apparently they've never heard of Foley, which actually happens to be America's finest camp...). I like their list just fine, but I thought it would be great to create a list specific to what a camper can learn at Foley. So here it is...

-All I Really Need to Know I Learned at Camp Foley!-

1. There is only one way to clear a table. The Tablewaiter way. By following directions, I may be helping to make another person's job easier. 

2. The only way to be on time to Skiing/Wakeboarding is by being early. My actions can directly affect other people's experiences in a positive or negative way. 



Lesson three - I used to be very scared of Paintball, hence
the lifejacket I am wearing under two sweatshirts.

3. A lifejacket isn't necessary at Paintball. It's important to overcome my fears because the risk is definitely worth the reward!  

4. When someone says, "This is a repeat after me song!" there is only one correct way to respond. Enthusiasm and positivity are contagious. It's always important for me to have a good attitude.  

5. Just because I don't know what something means, doesn't mean I can't sing about it. Waddlee-acha? Oh nico nemo, oh golly golly gumbo? The Ricabamboo? Ichdan schpeelan - dukecan schpeelan? And don't even GET me started on Flea Fly's, "Eennie, meenie, decimeenie, oo wall a wall a meenie! Ex a meenie, zoll a meenie, oo wall a wall! A beep billy oh bo, bo bop a deep da, bo bop a deep da shh!" WHAT IS THAT! There is no reason for me to fear the unknown. Familiarizing myself with the unknown is the perfect opportunity to learn something new.

Sand in the bed, frog in the bed.
What's the difference?

6. No matter how hard I try to keep it out... there will always be sand in my bed. Just because I don't see the desired results, doesn't mean I should quit trying! 

7. I have to eat the green beans. There will be times I have to do something I don't want to do simply because it's good for me.

8. Sometimes I'll have to do outside sweep when it's not my day. Things come up and I may have to do things I didn't plan on doing. I gotta roll with the punches.

9. The more ridiculous I look, sing or dance is directly correlated to the amount of fun I'm having. I can be comfortable in my own ridiculous, awesome, one-of-a-kind skin! I don't have to worry about what others think of me. 

10. Make it a great day or not, the choice is mine. I can choose to make the best or worst of any situation. No one can make the decision for me.

This is, in no way, the end-all-be-all list of things you can learn at Foley. These are just ten of the major lessons I got from my experience as a camper and staff member. I definitely think other campers/staff can learn these things at camp, plus so much more! What are would you add to the list? Let us know! 

-Krista Strobel