Gratitude and Reflection

Freshman Year · Spiritual · Required Lesson

Gratitude & Reflection

25–30 minutes Easy Required

Destination

By the end of this conversation, the mentee should be able to name specific things they’re grateful for and try one simple reflection habit.

Stop 1 of 4

Talk

Goal: Introduce gratitude as a real, research-backed practice—not a forced “look on the bright side” message that dismisses real hardship.

“Gratitude isn’t about pretending everything is fine. It’s about noticing the good things that exist alongside the hard ones—both can be true at the same time.”

Choose three to five questions

1. Has anyone ever done something for you that you were genuinely grateful for? What was it?
2. Do you ever take time to notice good things in your day, or does it feel like time you don’t have?
3. Have you ever kept a journal or written down your thoughts? How did it feel?
4. Does the word “gratitude” feel meaningful to you, or does it sound like something forced or fake?
5. What’s something small that made your day a little better recently?
Mentor Tip: For mentees dealing with real hardship, forced positivity can feel dismissive or even insulting. Frame gratitude as noticing what’s good alongside what’s hard—not as a replacement for acknowledging genuine struggle.

Stop 2 of 4

Learn

What gratitude actually is

Gratitude is noticing and acknowledging something good—big or small—and recognizing where it came from. It’s not about ignoring real problems; it’s about training your attention to also notice what’s going right, not just what’s going wrong.

A note on toxic positivity: Gratitude isn’t “just be happy” or “it could be worse.” Real gratitude coexists with real struggle—you can be genuinely thankful for one thing while also going through something genuinely hard.

Why it actually works

MoodResearch links regular gratitude practice to lower stress and better overall mood
SleepPeople who practice gratitude before bed report falling asleep more easily
RelationshipsExpressing genuine thanks strengthens connection with others
ResilienceGratitude has been linked to better ability to bounce back from hard times
Route 21 Big Idea:
Your brain naturally scans for problems—that’s useful for survival, but it means you have to actively practice noticing the good. Gratitude is that practice.

Specific beats vague

Vague: “I’m grateful for my friends.”
Specific: “I’m grateful my friend texted to check on me after a hard day—it reminded me I’m not alone.”

Specific gratitude, including the “why,” has a bigger effect than a general list—it forces you to really notice the moment, not just check a box.

Reflection: gratitude’s close cousin

Reflection means looking back on an experience—good or hard—to notice what you learned or how you grew from it. Like gratitude, it works best when it’s specific and honest, not just “everything happens for a reason.”

Stop 3 of 4

Try

Three specific things

List three things you’re genuinely grateful for right now, and be specific about why.

Grateful for___________
Because___________
Grateful for___________
Because___________

A quick reflection

Think of a recent experience, good or hard. What’s one thing you learned or noticed about yourself from it?

Choose Your Route

Pick the video that best fits your time and interest today. You only need to watch one.

Level 1 · Quick Stop

The Science of Gratitude

Approximately 3–5 minutes

A short explanation of how gratitude research shows measurable improvements in wellbeing.

Watch the Quick Stop
Talk afterward: Did anything in the video surprise you about how gratitude affects the brain?

Level 2 · Scenic Route

How to Start a Gratitude Journal: Step by Step

Approximately 8–10 minutes

A practical walkthrough of starting and keeping a simple gratitude journaling habit.

Take the Scenic Route
Talk afterward: Is there a format from the video—written, spoken, a jar—that you’d actually want to try?

Level 3 · Open Road

How to Start a Gratitude Journal You’ll Actually Keep

Approximately 10–15 minutes

A deeper look at why most gratitude journals fall apart, and how to build one that actually sticks long-term.

Explore the Open Road
Talk afterward: What’s usually made past habits like this fall apart for you?
Mentor Reminder: Let the mentee choose the route whenever possible. The real gratitude list above matters more than the video.

Stop 4 of 4

Grow

Reflection

What’s one specific thing you’re grateful for today?
Does a gratitude practice feel meaningful to you, or forced? Why?
Is there someone you’d like to genuinely thank for something?
What questions do you still have?

Start small

One sentence a day—written, spoken, or just thought—is enough to start. It doesn’t need to become an elaborate journal to count.

How can your mentor help?

How can Route 21 help?

Would a simple gratitude journal or prompt list be a useful tool to have?
Mentor Wrap-Up:
Did the mentee name something real and specific, not just a generic answer? Did the conversation avoid minimizing anything hard going on in their life?