I know this is the last part of the book, but it's probably the most important. After all, I've spent a great deal of this book talking about how we have to practise what we preach! So here goes … 

To all the people who have supported me on my journey in writing this book, and those people who gave their time for interviews: you are all greatly appreciated and I'd like to acknowledge each of you now.

First of all, thank you to my mum, Bev, and dad, Mark. Growing up you gave Toni and me every opportunity to pursue our dreams. You were up early driving me to cricket, basketball and football for well over a decade. You were always encouraging and I have no doubt this encouragement has resulted in me going all in with Growing with Gratitude. Mum, you are the kindest and most caring person I know. I don't recall you telling us to be kind, but you taught us in the most powerful way and that's by showing us through your example. I am aware I am a fair way off your level of kindness, but it's a skill that I work on and will continue to. I love you both very much.

To my sister Toni, brother in-law Bjorn and nephews Coop and Ed. Your ongoing support is greatly appreciated. Love you all.

To my grandparents, Papa Bill, Nana Bobbie, Gramps Ken and Nana June: growing up, you demonstrated kindness, what it meant to serve others, humour, work ethic and love. I didn't realise it at the time, but now I see what you demonstrated is a huge part of what this book is about. I remember calling you (Nana Bobbie) ‘Bobbie’ when I was seven, complaining because I'd been told off by mum, but as always, you had my back and you were on my side. Rest in peace Bill, Bobbie and Ken. Nana June: keep going (94 not out).

To all my cousins, aunties and uncles: you are all so greatly appreciated. Always loving and supportive. A special mention to my uncle Mark Mickan and aunty Pat Mickan (my mum's brother and sister). Growing up you taught me what hard work is. Seeing you play at the highest level of sport was what inspired me to pursue the same dream. Although I reached a reasonable level, I feel that work ethic has held me in good stead for wanting to make a serious difference in the world. And it certainly needed to be called on, in the writing of this book.

To Robert Hoff, you have had the greatest influence over my education career without a doubt. I am not sure what impresses me more, the fact you look the same in your twenties as you do at 70 or your dedication to education and, most importantly, your dedication to the wellbeing of our young people. Hoffy, you are a total legend. I remember that Sunday evening when I was at the Grand Hotel on a school night with a few mates when you and Sandra walked past. You excitedly doubled back to come in and say hello, but you were stopped by security, who said, ‘Sorry mate, you're too old to come in’. Your response: ‘My son is in there and he forgot his wallet’ — and you calmly strolled past security. One of the more amusing things I have seen. Although this story has little to do with the book, it does demonstrate your support and willingness to go above and beyond.

In all seriousness, this book wouldn't exist if it wasn't for you Hoffy. When school returned in 2014, I went and saw you and explained the passion project I had started over the holidays. Instead of discouraging and questioning if it would take away from my teaching, you gave me the opposite response. You supported and encouraged me to get after it. And I remember sitting in your office at the end of 2016 like it was yesterday. I had taken a year's leave of absence from Immanuel to focus on Growing with Gratitude full time and I had to make the life-defining decision of whether to resign and make GWG my career. From a business sense, being a self-funded start-up, the funds weren't exactly flowing freely at the time. Sitting in your office, you asked, ‘So what are you going to do?’ My response was, ‘I'm not sure’. The key moment was when you looked at me from across the table and said; ‘You've come too far with this, give it your all and the worst thing that will happen is you go back and teach somewhere’. I'll be forever grateful for that bit of advice. Your knowledge and contribution to this book is also greatly appreciated. And the best thing: your mateship continues to this day.

Thank you so much to you, Nadia. You believed I could make GWG happen from day one. Your support in the early years is so greatly appreciated.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to you Lucy Raymond and Leigh McLennon (Wiley). I am so grateful to you both. Thank you for believing in me and the need to write a book on implementing gratitude in schools and family homes. Your patience, support, encouragement and feedback over the journey has been tremendous. A big thank you to all the Wiley team who helped bring this book to life including Chris Shorten, Renee Aurish, Ingrid Bond and everyone behind the scenes.

I am also extremely grateful to you, Dale Sidebottom. You were the first person to plant the seed in my mind about writing a book. You have been an amazing support through this whole process. I always love and look forward to the workshops we run together. I value your mateship highly, and your book All Work No Play (also published by Wiley) is brilliant.

I want to deeply express my appreciation to Shawn Kasbergen, Brenton Willson, Desy Pantelos, Mark Butler, Meagan Hart, Reid Dobson, Coreta Lennon, Anne-Marie Schmidt, Donna Safralidis, Michael Toogood, Colette Bos, Ben Storer, Ben Catalano, Dr Rachel Dodge, Luke Bartlett, Kurt Ferguson, Mark Steed Andrew Mittiga, Brett Humphrys, Kate Cameron, Dana Kerford, Ana Dominguez, Jamila MacArthur, Jessica Hertz, Alison Jamieson and Paula Luethen for sharing elements of your schools and your own wellbeing practices. It means so much that you took the time to respond by email, or to sit down with me in person or via Zoom to talk about the finer details. It's your personal stories that bring this book to life and help others see how they too can do similar practices.

I also want to express my gratitude to the brilliant minds of the academics I've worked with over the journey so far. Academia isn't my thing, yet I know how important it is to provide an evidence-based program. Thank you so much to Dr Debbie Price and Dr Deborah Green of the University of South Australia for your dedication to research in the mental wellbeing space in schools. And to Jasmine Turner, Psychology PhD candidate of The University of Adelaide. It's a privilege that you chose to do your three-year thesis on Growing with Gratitude.

I don't think Growing with Gratitude and I would have the presence we do today without some of the amazing partnerships we've formed over the years. I want to show my appreciation to the Adelaide Football Club (AFL team) and the community team who became our first ever major partnership. In 2014, the late great Jason Lehmann, Brooke Jeffs and Nigel Osborn and I sat around a table to discuss how Growing with Gratitude could potentially be the club's flagship community school engagement program. At the time, there was no GWG website and nothing was being delivered in schools. What was presented, though, was a dodgy PowerPoint and a real passion for wanting to teach skills of gratitude and other positive habits to young people. What better way to do that, than to partner with the biggest organisation in South Australia? Well, something went right because the Crows community team thought it was brilliant and exactly what they were looking for. To the late Jason ‘Lehmo’ Lehmann, Brooke Jeffs, Nigel Osborn, Brayden Kirk, Sam Tharaldsen and all the club's GWG presenters over the journey, I am just so grateful for your dedication and seriously good presenting skills. No doubt this book wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for your dedication to spreading the mental wellbeing message. Thank you.

I greatly appreciate you, Becckey Ernst: you are a tremendous research assistant. Thank you for your time and the effort you put in. And to Hayley, my gym buddy, who encouraged me to use ‘big words’ in the book: I think I managed two.

Sandra Balonyi: you are an amazing editor and I am so grateful to you. Your editing skills and advice are world class. It's amazing how the world works. We first met at a workshop in 2021, prior to me even considering writing this book. And now you're the editor. Your work is greatly appreciated.

To John Mannion and his dedicated team at BreakThrough Mental Health Research Foundation. Your support, insights and conversations are always inspiring. In such a short time the foundation is leading the way into funding mental health research. I look forward to many more of our conversations.

To all the schools and teachers from around the world who have embraced GWG and me: I am so grateful to you. At the time of writing, we've reached more than 800 schools in 45 countries to help young people grow with gratitude. That still astounds me! I can't wait for those numbers to grow even more.

I wrote most of the book in my favourite coffee shop, He Said She Said in Hyde Park. A huge thanks to Nizar, Sam, Maddy and the team for your incredible hospitality and tremendous long blacks with a dash of cold milk.

Rodney Love of rodneylovedesign.com.au: I am proud to call you a mate, and you're also the best graphic designer around, and he's responsible for bringing the Kilkenny Crew and the Grangers to life. During this book-writing process, I'd often call on Rodney for ideas, as his creative mind is brilliant. He's also responsible for all the branding for Growing with Gratitude and my personal brand website. Rodney, your mateship is greatly appreciated.

Friends are so important in our life and I feel lucky to have tremendous friends. They all were extremely supportive during the book writing process. A huge thanks to Jarrad Tait, Shaun Tait, Joe ‘Pegleg’ Hill, Luke Timmons, Shane Dunstall, Brendan Dunstall, Shane Berkett, Shane Kenney, Jordan Ausserlechner, Tom Hateley, Ben Warren, Nick Warren, Phil Cleggett, Scott Schubert, Russell ‘General’ Godson, Luke van Kempen and Carl Mickan

Last, and certainly not least, I am truly grateful to you, Kelly Irving. Working with you as my book coach has been an utter delight. When we started working together, you helped form a much clearer structure and flow to the book. Your knowledge and skills on writing are exceptional. There's no doubt this book wouldn't have been done without you. You are appreciated to the highest level.

As Australian boxing legend Jeff Fenech famously said, I love youse all.

Ash