Hello!

One week ago today we met Dr. Karyn Gordon, at a brilliantly refreshing lecture in New York City. Dr. Karyn, as she is referred to, is one of North America’s leading relationship and parenting experts, a best-selling author, media personality, motivational speaker and founder of dk Leadership. Her mission is to inspire people to dream their best life, learn the tools and do it!*** She is passionate about teaching EQ Leadership Skills (Motivation, Time Management, Organization, Decision-Making, Confidence, Communication and Career Direction) to develop thriving relations at home including those of: Parents & Kids/Teens, Husbands & Wives, Work, and Ourselves
A dynamic motivational speaker to more than a quarter of a million people, Dr. Karyn’s gift is communication playfully, passionately and pragmatically. Recently, she has conducted speaking appearances at The New York Times and it was in attendance of her most recent lunchtime lecture, at the NYT Building,that we gathered the most enlightening information on Gratitude and Empathy. Below are the highlights of her lecture.

PART 1: The Gratitude
Common archetypes in children are discussed via varying personality types. Entitled Elliot displays the following: Almost never voices gratitude, often feels entitled then disappointed, blames others. Additional, child types includes: Negative Nelly, Occasional Olivia, Grateful George--you get the point, don't you?
The Bridge: Each character trait compliments the other
Gratitude is self-focused whereas Empathy is "other focused" and is one hundred percent learned.
3 components:
Attitude
Affect
Action (most important part) feeling allows one to take action
#You are responsible to your client NOT "for" the client
PART 2: The Why-Gratitude + Empathy
Gratitude: The Benefits
Personally-happier Optimistic enthusiastic
Physically-take better care of themselves
Professionally-better strategic thinkers
PART 3: The How
10 Simple Things Families Can do Build Gratitude + Empathy
1-Keep a gratitude journal
2-Model Saying "Thank You"
3-Teach Expectation of "Thank You"
4-Assign Chores
5-Write Thank You cards
6-Be empathetic + give a menu
7-Teach the Lens
8-Teach non-verbal cues
9-De-Clutter + Give Back
10-Look for How to Give Back (a charity or org.)
***Amongst Gordon's many accomplishments, she most notably produced her own music talk-show where she interviewed celebrities including 98 Degrees, Sum 41, Matchbox 20, SClub7 and many more, to share lessons learned as teenagers
*photos by The Quest for "it"