Gratitude, Well-Being, and School Social Work: A Holiday Reflection

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11 hours ago
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As the holiday season arrives — with its lights, gatherings, and moments of reflection — many of us find ourselves thinking about what matters most: connections, belonging, support, and care. For school social workers, this time of year can heighten both our appreciation for the relationships we build and the weight of needs we hold in our hearts.

This year, staff at SSWAA have been reading The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor, and we’ve found its message particularly meaningful for our profession. Achor flips the common notion of “work hard → success → happiness,” arguing instead that happiness fuels success.

For school social workers — who dedicate themselves to supporting students’ social, emotional, and academic success; bridging home, school, and community; and often serving as a quiet backbone of care in our schools. Cultivating gratitude and well-being isn’t just nice, it’s essential.

Why Gratitude Matters According to Positive Psychology

Research highlighted by Achor and by positive-psychology advocates shows that gratitude is more than a warm feeling. Regular practices of gratitude contribute to:

Improved emotional well-being — gratitude builds optimism, resilience, and mental health, and lowers stress.
Stronger social connections — expressing appreciation deepens relationships, fosters community, and strengthens trust.
Increased productivity, creativity, and effectiveness — per Achor, a positive brain supports sharper focus, better problem-solving, more energy, which benefit both work and life.

For those in school social work, where we navigate heavy emotional loads, complex family systems, and the challenge of supporting diverse student needs, these benefits are particularly relevant.

Holiday Season + School Social Work: A Powerful Opportunity

The holidays naturally invite reflection and gratitude. As school social workers, we can lean into this season to:

Recognize and appreciate colleagues, educators, families, and students who show up every day.
Reflect on meaningful moments from the year; small wins, resiliency, hope, growth.
Recommit to self-care and well-being; honoring that to care for others, we must care for ourselves.

Combining the spirit of the season with intentional gratitude practices can renew us emotionally, spiritually, and professionally.

Gratitude Habits from The Happiness Advantage Practically Applied in School Social Work

Shawn Achor outlines several habits, many taking just minutes a day, which can be adapted by school social workers to support well-being, resilience, and connection.

Habit	What it is	How It Applies to School Social Work
Three Gratitudes	Write down three new things you are grateful for each day (no repeating the same things!)	Reflect on positive moments in your day — a student’s small success, a supportive colleague, a peaceful moment — to anchor optimism even in tough times.
The Doubler	Spend two minutes describing one meaningful experience from the past 24 hours in detail — “doubling” its impact.	Recall a moment of connection, progress, or hope — a breakthrough with a student, supportive conversation with a parent or teammate — and savor it to sustain motivation.
Fun Fifteen	15 minutes of fun, active cardio per day.	Use a brief walk, dance break, or stretch — especially during long days — to refresh your mind and body so you can show up with energy and presence.
Meditation / Mindful Breathing	Two minutes of mindful breathing — grounding the brain, reducing stress.	Before a big meeting, IEP, or difficult conversation — take two minutes to breathe and recenter, so you approach with calm and clarity.
Conscious Act of Kindness	Spend two minutes writing a thank-you note or message to someone in your support network.	Reach out to a colleague, teacher, parent, or student to express appreciation — these small gestures build connection, trust, and a sense of community.

SSWAA’s Commitment — Because Wellness Starts with Us

In 2024, the SSWAA staff came together to create mission statements for each of our departments. Over the years, we have also been emphasizing staff wellness. In an effort to continuously build inclusive wellness into our work, SSWAA staff also created a wellness mission statement:

SSWAA is committed to fostering a supportive work environment that prioritizes the well-being of our staff. SSWAA recognizes that drivers of well-being may look different for each team member, and thus strives to provide diverse strategies of well-being. We actively provide flexibility, peer support, inclusion and belonging, and implement strategies to prevent burnout, ensuring our team remains energized and motivated. By investing in the wellness of our staff, we empower them to continue making a meaningful impact in their roles.

Here is how some of our staff are reflecting on their wellness and gratitude. (Click to expand)

Ali Langen, Director of Marketing

This year, one of the moments I felt most grateful for was the chance to return to Snowbird, UT for SSWAA’s 2nd annual Summer Symposium — this time with my whole family. Last year, my husband was able to join me for a couple of days, taking photos and recording testimonials we could use for our marketing efforts. When we came home, our three boys, who are outdoor enthusiasts, begged us to take them if we ever went back. Our youngest, especially, couldn’t stop talking about how much he wanted to “climb to the top of the mountain.”

When SSWAA returned to Snowbird this summer, we decided to make it happen. My husband and my mom were able to bring the boys along for a few days, and watching their excitement made the trip even more meaningful. They packed so much into such a short time — hiking, swimming, and taking full advantage of the resort’s activities like the mountain coaster, alpine slide, bungee trampoline, and ropes course. I never had to worry about them being bored or waiting around; there was truly so much for them to enjoy while I was working.

I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunities my work at SSWAA brings — not just professionally, but in ways that connect back to my family. Being able to share such a beautiful place with the people I love most, and seeing them create their own memories while I supported an event and organization I care deeply about, is something I’ll carry with me into 2026.

Rita Gbegbaje, Membership Coordinator

As we close out 2025 and step into a new year, I’ve been reflecting on a core idea from A Short Course in Neuroplasticity in The Happiness Advantage: the understanding that our brains, and our lives, are not fixed. We have the capacity to grow, rewire, and reshape our experiences through intentional thought and gratitude. This perspective has made me especially appreciative of the many moments that brought meaning and growth this year, particularly the grounding presence of my family. I am grateful for good health, provision, and the gift of unison.

I’m also deeply grateful to be part of an AMAZING team and to support a profession that creates meaningful change every day. In my role, I have the privilege of learning about the work school social workers across the country do, from supporting students’ mental health to strengthening school communities. The dedication to the work is a powerful reminder that growth is always within reach. The principles of neuroplasticity echo what I see in this profession: that with the right support and intentional practice, individuals and systems can adapt, heal, and thrive. For that, I am truly thankful.

As we look toward 2026, I encourage everyone to reflect inward and challenge any “fixed” notions we might hold about ourselves, our abilities, or the communities we serve. This season calls us to embrace possibility, nurture our well-being, and step into the new year with openness and purpose. May we continue to grow, learn, and support each other on the way forward.

Emily Shayman, Professional Development Coordinator

As I write these words, I can’t help but think about how this is an assigned work task – to write a blog about gratefulness... The ironic thing, though, is that we at SSWAA are talking about how it’s NOT a requirement to be grateful for work – and that our work can follow our happiness.

And yet, gratitude can at times be hard to find within the intensity of our current social climate. In The Happiness Advantage, Achor stated that the key “is not to completely shut out all the bad, all the time, but to have a reasonable, realistic, healthy sense of optimism...” (p. 104). I’m grateful to read validation that I do not need to ‘shut out all the bad’, which can be a hard thing to do. Achor wrote, “The ideal mindset isn’t heedless of risk, but it does give priority to the good. Not just because that makes us happier but because that is precisely what creates more good” (p. 104). And – ‘creating more good’ is without a doubt what I want, professionally and personally.

On that note, here goes my attempt to share just some of the things that allow me to find my ‘healthy sense of optimism’: My child smiling when I arrive home, A phone call with my grandma, Zohran Mamdani, Standing Together (an Israeli-Palestinian movement for unity), Ahmed al Ahmed, Sunsets (especially if on a beach, but always), School social workers and educators who pour love towards their students day in and day out, Technology that prioritizes funny dog videos for me, Cozy socks, My next-door neighbors who show me the power of community, My extremely supportive spouse... And, while I could continue this list, I’ll end with the fact that I’m optimistic and grateful that my professional work includes this reflection on ‘healthy optimism’ and gratitude!

Rebecca Oliver, Executive Director

"Be more like Buddy!"

Sometimes the day-to-day work of School Social Workers can feel heavy. A challenging educational landscape complicates already critical work. There are demands on our time to be available for student needs. There is pressure to do more. We can feel squeezed and stressed. It can become easy to be consumed with work and to lose sight of why we fell in love with this profession to begin with.

While traveling recently, I turned on Elf on the plane movie channel. In the film, when Buddy the Elf happened upon the toy store, the grumpy manager asked him, "Why are you smiling?" Buddy's response was simple and yet profound - "Smiling is my favorite!" To which the supervisor replied, "Make work your favorite!" Over the holidays, maybe a simple yet profound step is to make smiling our favorite! To smile at family members, friends, strangers, that grumpy store manager, the person who cuts us off in traffic, and even those (especially those) who aren't smiling at us. Maybe a little extra happiness will fill our days and our hearts this holiday - starting with a simple smile.

Capella Hauer, Associate Executive Director

As I head into the holiday break, The Happiness Advantage has challenged me to be more intentional about how I pause, reflect, and reset. Like many school social workers, I am wired to notice what still needs to be done; the next deadline, the next meeting, the next problem to solve. This season, I am committing to practicing gratitude as a daily discipline, not just a fleeting feeling. I plan to end each day by naming three things I’m grateful for, such as moments of connection with family, quiet mornings, meaningful work accomplished this year, and the resilience I’ve witnessed across our profession. My hope is that this practice helps me enter the new year grounded in appreciation rather than urgency. If happiness fuels success, then choosing gratitude over the holidays feels like both a gift to myself and an investment in how I show up for others in the year ahead.

Invitation: A Holiday Gratitude Challenge for You

This holiday season, we invite you, our fellow school social workers, to try a simple Gratitude Challenge.

Start a Holiday Gratitude Journal — each day, write down three new things you are grateful for (big or small).
Pick one positive moment of your day — then double it by reflecting for two minutes.
Take a “Fun Fifteen” break — short walk, stretch, dance — whatever brings you joy and movement.
Pause to breathe before big tasks — meetings, difficult conversations, paperwork.
Send one genuine note of thanks this week to a colleague, administrator, parent, or student acknowledging something meaningful they did.

Let’s share our reflections, experiences, and small joys. Together, we can build a culture of gratitude, support, and well-being that radiates into our schools, communities, and lives.

Closing: Gratitude as a Gift to Others and Ourselves

In the bustle of year-end deadlines, holiday demands, and growing needs in our schools, it can be easy to overlook our own well-being. But as school social workers, the gift we bring to students and families begins with us. By choosing gratitude, by being intentional about it we can nurture the compassion, energy, and resilience our profession demands.

May your holidays be filled with moments of warmth, connection, reflection and gratitude.

Here’s to a season of hope, renewal, and shared joy.

From all of us at SSWAA, thank you for all you do.