Gratitude Hot Seat

Instructions for the leader

Activity: Whole-Group Appreciation Hot Seat Arrange participants in a seated circle with one empty chair or volunteer spot in the center ("The Focus Spot"). Pre-Activity Guidance: Frame the activity as an intentional validation exercise. Emphasize that receiving appreciation directly can feel emotionally intense, and encourage the focus person to simply breathe and absorb the words. Structure & Rules: Focus Spot: A volunteer steps into the center of the circle to receive appreciation. Circle Contributions: Group members go around or jump in to share specific, heartfelt appreciations regarding the focus person (e.g., "I admire your steady clarity in group discussions"). Brevity: Keep each individual appreciation share to 15–30 seconds. Rotation: After 3 minutes of receiving appreciations, the center participant chooses the next volunteer for the Focus Spot. Timing: Allocate 3 minutes per focus person (~12–15 minutes total for 4–5 rotations).