I haven't read the book itself, but read about it on Commitment.com, which is fast becoming one of my favorite resources for general healthy living. The article was about Andrea and David Reisner, authors of "Letters From Home: A Wake-up Call for Success & Wealth," which consists of letters about 15 values they wrote to their four sons.

As Andrea explained about the book: ""Imagine how different our country would be if everyone thanked friends for being friends, workers for doing their jobs well, and so forth. We’d all be more connected and enjoy a much more encompassing sense of community. And guess what? That kind of change starts at home."

Two tips in the article that I need to incorporate in our life:

• Don’t just count your blessings-name them. Have a minute of thanks in the morning-you and your kids can each name a few things you’re thankful for. Whether the list includes a favorite toy, a good grade, or a hug from Grandma, this tradition will start the day off in a positive frame of mind.
• Keep a stack of thank-you cards on hand. Insist that your kids use them often. By and large, sending out thank-you notes is one of those arts that seems to be dying. Don’t let that be the case in your house. Send out regular thank-you notes-definitely when your child receives a gift, but also to teachers at the end of the school year, for example, and to Little League coaches and ballet teachers.

We'll adapt these tips for our own family style. But one thing we've done in the past -- and have just renewed -- is to use our Gratitude Jar. A decorated container where we place slips of paper that highlight what we were grateful for that day. Each Sunday night we look at the slips from that week and begin a new week of mindfulness.

Mikki