We hear the word. We use the word. We know the basic definition, but what is gratitude? Join Dava West, Director of Counseling and Student Services, and Lindsey Hunt, Communications Specialist, as they talk about gratitude—what it means, the benefits of having it in your life, and how to practice gratitude—in this episode of the CCISD to the Fullest podcast.
Gratitude Exercise Resources:
https://positivepsychology.com/gratitude-exercises/
https://dakotafamilyservices.org/resources/blog/archive/gratitude-activities-for-adults/
https://www.weareteachers.com/meaningful-gratitude-activities/
https://rilesandbash.com/blogs/party-ideas/family-friendly-gratitude-activities-with-free-printables
00;00;00;17 - 00;00;40;29
Speaker 1
There’s a reason that the word “People” comes first in our CCISD guiding principles. And our people are really the purpose behind our podcast series titled “CCISD to the Fullest.”
Hey, everyone. It’s Lindsey Hunt. Hello, and welcome back to CCISD to the Fullest! I’m joined by my co-host, Dava West, the Director of Counseling and Student Services for Clear Creek ISD.
Hi, Dava. Thanks for joining me on this journey. I’m thankful for your collaboration and really enjoy our time together.
00;00;41;08 - 00;01;04;03
Speaker 2
Hi, Lindsey. And, I agree completely.
You know... we started this journey with just an idea to share stories and connect with our colleagues. I don’t think either one of us knew how fun and inspiring our interviews with those colleagues would be. Nor did we know how they would impact our lives and shape our definition of what CCISD to the Fullest really means.
00;01;04;21 - 00;01;30;02
Speaker 1
Exactly. Last episode we wanted to define what CCISD to the Fullest—the title of this podcast series—was all about. You and I didn’t know the answer...but with a little help from our friends, we came to understand that living, or striving to live, CCISD to the Fullest, was really about finding your passion, committing to your purpose, and being fulfilled in your role in CCISD.
00;01;30;02 - 00;01;40;23
Speaker 2
That is a great segway to today's topic. Passion, commitment, and fulfillment are all possible outcomes of another powerful word, gratitude.
00;01;41;06 - 00;01;51;04
Speaker 1
So, Dava... We hear the word. We use the word. We know the basic definition, but people may not understand the real meaning of the word. What is gratitude?
00;01;51;25 - 00;02;21;26
Speaker 2
All right. So let's start with the textbook definition of gratitude, and that is "the quality of being thankful, readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness." So basically, it's an emotion that can lead to an action. It's an emotion you feel, then you act on it, and then those emotions come back to you in a new and meaningful way, which can make a big difference in a person's daily life.
00;02;22;07 - 00;02;44;28
Speaker 2
It can change the course of a day. To get started, let’s listen to Bill Kronovich, Stadium Manager for Challenger Columbia stadium, share his appreciation for his family and his colleagues that help him be fulfilled in his role in CCISD.
While listening to Bill, let’s see if you can hear his gratitude in action.
00;02;46;10 - 00;03;10;26
Speaker 3
I have a very, very understanding family, which I'm grateful for, and I have some very supportive bosses, which I have many bosses. Everybody has their hand in the in the stadium. So which is fine. And I don't have a you know, and they're all very, very supportive. You know, my family, I mean, I've missed birthdays, I've missed anniversaries, I've missed weddings, I've missed funerals, I've missed.
00;03;11;00 - 00;03;36;01
Speaker 3
But they they understand the passion and the commitment that I have toward the stadium. And, you know, also, you know, my bosses, I mean, like like this just this past weekend is a, you know, a perfect example. You know, we had a big game Friday night, a huge crowd with with Clear Falls and Clear Springs. Too bad, there had to you know, there's always got to be a winner and a loser.
00;03;36;01 - 00;04;02;22
Speaker 3
But that was I mean, that was a great game. And then Saturday, I have 27 bands coming in for a huge band competition. So we cleaned up as the traffic cleared a little bit Friday night. And, you know, my cleaning crew, which for football season, I have an outstanding cleaning crew and I really appreciate those ladies. I mean, they, you know, they work till.. if you're working in a high school as a custodian and stuff, you're there till 11:30.
00;04;02;22 - 00;04;24;17
Speaker 3
They were there at 5:00 in the morning along with Chris Pitts. He showed up at 5:00 in the morning and said, hey, what do I need to do? I'm here to help. Thursday, there was a box truck that pulled in full of concession items for the band competition on Saturday that needed unloading. You know, here comes Kirby and Jimmy.
00;04;24;18 - 00;04;47;16
Speaker 3
Jimmy Grier all rolled up their sleeves and helped me unload that truck and get everything done. So, you know, we always have. Yeah. And then there's Coach Fox. I mean, you know, when we opened up the stadium every Friday night after a football game, she would call me to make sure I got home safe. I mean, so, you know, there's just a lot of that support that helps get you through.
00;04;47;19 - 00;04;50;22
Speaker 3
I mean, you know, it's just great to have that kind of support.
00;04;51;01 - 00;04;55;17
Speaker 2
Reaching out, getting to know others, building that, those relationships. Very interesting.
00;04;55;17 - 00;05;05;18
Speaker 1
We've talked to a few other people and we're hearing a lot about the CCISD family. And it sounds like you really have a strong CCISD family.
00;05;05;18 - 00;05;23;03
Speaker 3
I mean, you know, Chris calls me every Monday morning, and, you know, how is the weekend? What do you got going on this week and how can I help? What do you need? And Kirby, almost every day, just, you know, I'm there every day, you know? Hey, Bill, what do you got going on? What do you need? How can I help?
00;05;23;12 - 00;05;35;29
Speaker 3
Do you need anything today? You know, just very, very, very supportive in that, you know, that you just don't know how much. I appreciate that.
00;05;35;29 - 00;05;55;08
Speaker 1
What Bill didn’t realize he was doing was practicing gratitude. Without prompt, he opened up and shared that he couldn’t do his job without the support and encouragement of his family, and his work family. It came as a natural emotion for Bill—he was thankful for what others had done for him.
Let’s go back to gratitude being an emotion that leads to action.
00;05;55;27 - 00;06;08;11
Speaker 1
Here’s Ashley Burgess, an adapted PE teacher and coach, sharing how her appreciation for the influential people in her life led to her to CCISD.
00;06;09;27 - 00;06;20;03
Speaker 2
So your coach...what...I know there's a teaching part aspect, and then there's the coaching part aspect, which sometimes they seem the same. But what made you want to be a teacher and a coach?
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Speaker 4
Well, I love both, of course. And I come from a sports background. I've always been involved in sports. My whole life. And I was very I'm very thankful that I had some very influential people in my life when I was growing up and then also in college that just influenced me in such a positive way that I wanted to have the same kind of impact on young people.
00;06;44;14 - 00;06;47;20
Speaker 2
So can you give us an example of one of those influential people?
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Speaker 4
Oh, well, number one, of course, would be my high school soccer coach. She just recently retired, but she was at Katy High School for her entire career. And I always thought that was something that was very special. And she was there from the time she graduated college and just retired last year. And I had a close relationship with her.
00;07;07;00 - 00;07;12;19
Speaker 4
And, you know, she was just very a very positive influence on my life. And, um.
00;07;13;02 - 00;07;16;27
Speaker 2
So you were a soccer player? Yes. That was. Was that your main sport or soccer?
00;07;16;27 - 00;07;22;16
Speaker 2
A triple threat or double threat or soccer and cross country. Those two working together?
00;07;23;10 - 00;07;36;20
Speaker 2
Yeah. Yeah. Awesome. And so what did your journey look like? So you are now the coach and the teacher, and it sounds like we were a high school athlete. So how what was your what did your journey look like from high school athlete to teacher, coach?
00;07;37;13 - 00;07;59;17
Speaker 4
Well, it was really there was really had no doubt going into college that I wanted to be a coach and a teacher. My mom was the one that kind of influenced me going towards a special ed direction. I always she would say I would always come home talking about how I helped out the kids and special ed or they would be in and out of our classrooms and stuff, even as an elementary school.
00;07;59;26 - 00;08;18;05
Speaker 4
And so whenever we were talking about what I would do post, you know, my degree playing in college, she was like, she just straight up said, Ashley, you really need to go into special education. That is really been a passion of yours and something that's meant you've been drawn to your whole life. So there's really no doubt that that's the way you should go.
00;08;18;06 - 00;08;29;01
Speaker 4
And then when I found out adapted PE was an option, putting the together the physical education, side coaching and with teaching special ed. Then that was for sure the way.
00;08;29;18 - 00;08;50;21
Speaker 2
So let's take a minute and think about what I said earlier. When you act on the emotion of gratitude, it will come back to you in a new and meaningful way. Keeping on our path to sharing rules of the road to living CCISD to the fullest, we wanted to share another clip from our time with Ashley Burgess. Her "pure joy" moments provided the perfect example of our definition of gratitude.
00;08;51;11 - 00;09;09;08
Speaker 2
Gratitude brought her to CCISD, and now she finds gratitude from her daily interactions with her students.
So do you think you're. Can you think of an example or a situation in which maybe one of your athletes, whether are your students in adapted PE, have taught you a lesson?
00;09;10;08 - 00;09;35;13
Speaker 4
Well, the first thing that comes to mind, of course, is just the pure joy, that pure joy in any and everything. It's amazing how some of these kids, no matter what's going on around them and the past, you know, just the pure joy that they have in their hearts and that they, you know, that they bring to the room and they bring to a group of people, you know, just the positivity.
00;09;37;01 - 00;09;41;07
Speaker 2
I think that's a great reminder for all of us, certainly, to find the joy in what.
00;09;41;07 - 00;09;43;03
Speaker 2
We're doing or are.
00;09;43;10 - 00;09;46;19
Speaker 2
What I find at least a moment of pure joy during the day, right?
00;09;47;03 - 00;09;49;11
Speaker 2
Yes.
00;09;50;16 - 00;10;08;04
Speaker 2
Here's another great rule of the road to help us live CCISD to the fullest. Find a moment of joy at least once a day. It could be as little as a shared smile or a victory celebrated. But no, no moment is too small to take a pause and be thankful.
00;10;10;15 - 00;10;22;19
Speaker 1
All right, Dava. Now let's talk about some of the benefits of gratitude. In preparation for this podcast, you and I interviewed an amazing group of our colleagues, and we asked them similar questions that led to similar answers.
00;10;22;21 - 00;10;47;18
Speaker 2
We definitely saw some themes, and one of those themes was being thankful for each other. Our colleagues expressed gratitude for each other consistently, which says a lot about the caliber of people that work in CCISD. It also speaks to the benefits of gratitude, because it helps our people build strong relationships, which helps us feel connected to our work and our community.
00;10;47;23 - 00;11;13;28
Speaker 1
We started the episode with Bill expressing gratitude towards the relationships in his life. Now let's talk to Cathy Donahoe, administrative assistant to the principal at Clear Creek High School. Cathy is quite literally the queen of connecting and building relationships and we're going to hear how building those relationships has helped her through the good and difficult times.
00;11;14;06 - 00;11;14;25
Speaker 1
I'm hearing a theme of family and tradition and Relationships.
00;11;14;26 - 00;11;24;19
Speaker 1
Relationships and past influencing present, which I think is really special. So that's great. What is going great in your life right now?
00;11;26;04 - 00;11;51;19
Speaker 5
What is going great? My friendships are going great. I'll say that we've had my the first half this year was wonderful. Everything was great. We had all of our weddings. And then my husband's father passed away in July. And so we've been dealing with that. And his mother has to make this family part. Right now. It's a little rocky, but friends are keep are keeping me sane and through and and they are great friends.
00;11;51;19 - 00;12;18;24
Speaker 5
I am so blessed. I, I have a core group of girlfriends that my roommate from college, a lady that I lived next to, and we lived on the other side of the lake and they are just steadfast friends. And then my sister I mean, my sister is she she's my she's my rock. So she's she hasn't always liked me because she was the baby until I was born.
00;12;18;24 - 00;12;34;18
Speaker 5
And then I, then I, then I was came along and I wasn't, I was persona non grata for a lot of years. So but when we got to be adults a little older, she decided it was okay.
00;12;34;24 - 00;12;43;22
Speaker 2
So it sounds like you're very grateful for those that I am friendships that you know, that that can be a source of comfort for you during a challenging time.
00;12;43;25 - 00;12;59;12
Speaker 5
They are. And the friendship that I made at school, Lisa Watkins, I mean, Lisa's Lisa's the best is amazing. So she went when she became the associate principal secretary. It was a jackpot day for me, so it was awesome.
00;12;59;16 - 00;13;01;03
Speaker 2
Probably a pretty tough tag team.
00;13;01;03 - 00;13;01;28
Speaker 5
There we are.
00;13;02;06 - 00;13;20;27
Speaker 5
We are. We were. We were talking about something this morning or or yesterday and I said, let's schedule let's let's have them schedule that on the day when we'll both be gone. And she just looks at me, she goes, We've never both been gone, because what would they do if we were both gone? And I was like, Well, you're right, we have never been gone.
00;13;22;17 - 00;13;27;19
Speaker 5
So we don't we typically don't take off the same days just because there's a lot to do on the campus.
00;13;28;10 - 00;13;49;24
Speaker 2
I love the passion you have for your school and for your job and for like all of the people that you that you help it. It comes through in who you are. And that's just a wonderful thing to see.
00;13;49;26 - 00;14;25;16
Speaker 2
Gratitude is a powerful emotion. And the benefits of this emotion are even more powerful.
In positive psychology research, gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions—relish good experiences—improve their health—deal with adversity and build strong relationships.
So how do you build strong relationships? Here’s Ashley Burgess again sharing a rule of the road to living CCISD to the Fullest and some advice on how to start building strong relationships.
00;14;25;16 - 00;14;43;16
Speaker 2
All right, Ashley, let's say you you have 13 years of experience now. Let's say you had a brand new teacher or maybe someone on our operations side who's new to working in a school district. What advice would you give them to help them know how to live CCISD to the fullest?
00;14;44;20 - 00;15;04;22
Speaker 4
I think the first thing to always remember is that there are people to help you no matter what. You can always lean on your coworkers and I've never seen that go wrong in so many different schools and a different people. I think we are all here to help and support one another and if you need help, you have to ask.
00;15;04;22 - 00;15;27;04
Speaker 4
You know, sometimes people don't know that you need help. So never be afraid to ask your coworkers or those that you work with because I guarantee you somebody will step up and be willing to help
00;15;27;04 - 00;15;47;01
Speaker 1
Ashley’s interview was full of gratitude, and we are going to share her full story later this week.
Okay. Another quick recap. We’ve shared what gratitude means, and we’ve talked about the benefits of having gratitude in your life.
Now we’re going to get into how to incorporate gratitude into your life. Dava and I are going to do a little gratitude exercise together—and in the show notes, we’ll share a few more helpful links with resources on how to practice gratitude.
Alright, Dava. How do we get started? What are we going to do?
00;15;47;07 - 00;16;05;07
Speaker 2
Okay, Lindsey, we're going to play the gratitude game. I gave you a small packet of Skittles that you have in front of you, and I have one, too. And we're going to go ahead and we're going to open it up. And I need you to take out about five Skittles. So just go ahead and pour those out in your hand.
00;16;05;07 - 00;16;23;00
Speaker 2
All right. You got your Skittles? Yeah. All right. Now take a look at them because the colors of your Skittles are very important. So now based on the color of our Skittles, we're going to do a quick gratitude check-in. So for every red skittle that you have, you're going to name a person you are grateful for.
00;16;23;28 - 00;16;47;16
Speaker 2
If you have any orange Skittles, you're going to name a place that you are grateful for. If you have any yellow Skittles, you're going to name a thing that you are grateful for. For all the green ones you may have, you're going to name an experience you are grateful for, and for any purple one that you have, you're going to name a blessing or special moment or gift that you are grateful for.
00;16;47;24 - 00;16;59;14
Speaker 2
So we're going to go. We're going to take turns. So you got the rules, Lindsey? Yeah, I got them. All right, look at your Skittles for a second and take a moment. We ready? Yes. All right, let's go. Do you have any red ones?
00;16;59;14 - 00;17;00;09
Speaker 1
I have three.
00;17;00;15 - 00;17;05;06
Speaker 2
Okay you are going to name three people that you are grateful for.
00;17;05;07 - 00;17;07;02
Speaker 1
Okay, so I say that.
00;17;07;03 - 00;17;09;00
Speaker 3
Go. Okay. You can do your 3 first.
00;17;09;01 - 00;17;14;24
Speaker 1
Okay. My father. My mother and my husband.
00;17;14;29 - 00;17;34;28
Speaker 2
All right. It just so happens that I really picked three red Skittles. You so three people. I'm going to let my parents together. Okay? Your people very grateful for them. I am grateful for my husband. And I'm going to say I'm actually grateful to Dr. Karen Engle because she is the person that actually gave me a chance in CCISD.
00;17;35;02 - 00;17;43;25
Speaker 2
So without her, I would not be here today. So I'm very grateful that she trusted me to work in CCISD. All right. In the orange ones, do you have any orange, Lindsey?
00;17;43;25 - 00;17;44;11
Speaker 1
I do not.
00;17;44;11 - 00;18;04;12
Speaker 2
I have an orange one. Okay. So the one place that I am grateful for is the beach. I live kind of close to the beach. And any time I need to enjoy that small moment of just being happy to be where I am, I head to the beach. All right. What about yellow Skittles? Do you have any of those?
00;18;04;20 - 00;18;22;04
Speaker 2
Okay, I have the yellow Skittles here, so I need to say a thing I am grateful for. I am grateful for my health. To me, that's a thing. So every morning that I wake up and I'm able to get out of bed and get to work or spend time with my family, I am grateful for that.
00;18;22;04 - 00;18;24;03
Speaker 3
All right. Back to you, Lindsey. Do you have any green ones?
00;18;24;03 - 00;18;27;26
Speaker 1
I do have a green. Okay. an experience.
00;18;27;26 - 00;18;29;13
Speaker 2
Experience you're grateful for. Yeah.
00;18;29;28 - 00;18;32;00
Speaker 1
Okay. This is a tough one.
00;18;32;00 - 00;18;36;00
Speaker 2
I was looking at that one and I thought the green sounded pretty tough to you. So this is on you, Lindsey.
00;18;36;11 - 00;18;39;15
Speaker 1
Any frame of reference for experience?
00;18;39;18 - 00;18;42;22
Speaker 2
Childhood, a job you had... just being somewhere?
00;18;42;22 - 00;19;06;15
Speaker 1
I will say I am a I'm grateful for the experience of being able to play sports. I think that shaped me a lot into who I am today, so I'm grateful for that. Okay. I'm going to take a moment and learn to some more about you. What sports did you play, Lindsey? I did quite a few. Field hockey, which does not it's not a part of this District
00;19;06;20 - 00;19;07;19
Speaker 2
It's not very popular.
00;19;07;19 - 00;19;26;27
Speaker 1
Yeah, but I adored that sport. I just thought it was a great team, really powerful and fun. I played a little basketball and then softball, so those were my no, you know, real aspirations to be an athlete, but definitely shaped who I am.
00;19;27;08 - 00;19;36;00
Speaker 2
Well, you can tell I can't help myself. I just want to continue to learn from those around me because I've learned so much. All right. So grand finale. Do you have any purple?
00;19;36;00 - 00;19;37;09
Speaker 1
I do have a purple.
00;19;37;09 - 00;19;42;20
Speaker 2
So this is a blessing or a special moment are gift that you're grateful for.
00;19;42;20 - 00;19;54;14
Speaker 1
Okay. So I actually have a purple and I'm going to say that the blessing would be the gift of the birth of my two children. So it's just my blessing.
00;19;55;06 - 00;20;14;13
Speaker 2
Lindsey, it sounds like that you and I both have so many things to be grateful for. This was just a very small amount. I can only imagine how much longer our gratitude list and our we would need a whole pound of skittles. Just think of all the things we would be grateful for. And it also sounds like our gratitude is making a pretty big impact on our lives.
00;20;14;14 - 00;20;37;28
Speaker 1
Yes, it is. And I love that exercise. So thank you. And I think it's definitely one that our listeners could, you know, do at any point that they need a gratitude moment. So thank you, Dava. Okay, so we're going to end today's show by giving coach Larry McRae, the athletic coordinator at Clear Lake High School, a moment to share his appreciation and respect for his colleagues and his community.
00;20;37;28 - 00;20;49;00
Speaker 1
Well, we you know, this podcast is titled CCISD to the Fullest. So what when you hear that, what does it mean and how does it translate to you?
00;20;49;05 - 00;21;12;25
Speaker 6
I mean, I think it's I mean, sassy to the fullest is is all the opportunities that exist within 64, not just for students, not just for teachers and faculty, but but also for like for families, for the community, too, to see all the great things that are going on within CCISD and all the schools. And and again, coming here, you know, seven years ago, CCISD not also not, you know, I'll know the words like stagnant.
00;21;13;03 - 00;21;35;10
Speaker 6
It's not stagnant. I mean, it's ever changing. You know, is, you know, we look in to see what something is going on, what can we do better? It's the same thing that, you know, you feel like you try to do as a teacher and a coach is how do I get better each and every day? CCISD is doing that on a grander scale, you know, by, you know, the different, you know, teacher training opportunities that are available, you know, the community events that go on as well.
00;21;35;19 - 00;21;52;09
Speaker 6
And you can go into any of these communities and you know, you can go to Clear Springs and be around that area. You feel Clear Springs, you go to Falls, Lake, Brook, you know, and Creek. I mean, you feel that at all those schools is pride in the communities. And if CCISD to the fullest, that's what it means to me.
00;21;52;09 - 00;22;11;25
Speaker 6
I mean you got you have pride in and what I love about it is is and you know on Friday nights like myself and the other coaches that are across on the other side, like we're fierce competitors, like we want to win, we want to do those things. We want to make sure we're coaching our kids correctly. We want to make sure we're teaching our kids like, you know, how to play with class and things like that.
00;22;12;05 - 00;22;35;14
Speaker 6
But at the end of the day, like, Man, I couldn't be more proud of the, of the other four guys and 60 that I get to coach against, you know, the other head coaches and their coaching staffs. I mean, to me that CCISD to the fullest also. I mean, to be able to fiercely compete against each other but also have a mutual respect for the job, you know, they're doing on their campuses, not just with coach them, but also by the job their assistant coach is doing in the classroom.
00;22;35;14 - 00;22;38;18
Speaker 6
And what they're doing in the community is is the biggest thing of all.
00;22;39;05 - 00;22;45;00
Speaker 1
It's amazing. Any advice to share with others on how to live CCISD to the fullest?
00;22;45;14 - 00;23;06;11
Speaker 6
I mean, I think it's a, you know, just just being able get involved. I mean, I think there's so many things going on within within all these different communities. Like, you know, like we say, you know, at Clear Lake, like, you know, once a following, always a falcon. And, you know, and, you know, I'm always going back to trying to find guys that played it Clear Lake high school, you know, and bring them back into the fold and and everything.
00;23;06;11 - 00;23;15;00
Speaker 6
And there's just such a rich tradition, you know? And, you know, even the younger high schools are building their own traditions now as well.
00;23;15;00 - 00;23;30;20
Speaker 1
Next time on CCISD to the Fullest, we'll take a closer look at connections, the importance of relationships, building those connections, and disconnecting when we can. Thanks for listening and we'll talk again soon.