Make Gratitude Your Go-To

With everything going on in the world over the past year, it’s felt easy to get trapped in the negativity. The world has felt just a bit off-kilter, more for some of us than others. For the businesses and non-profits we work with, the year has come with unique challenges – from some having to close their doors to others finding themselves too busy to get everything done. Both situations are high-pressure. Add to that some of the personal challenges we’ve experienced, and it’s been a roller coaster. So when you’re on the ride, how do you keep from going off the rails? We have one word for you…

Gratitude.

Gratitude is something we’ve been working hard to practice over the past year. We’ve spent time as leaders being intentional about the things we’re grateful for, and it has helped us maintain positivity in all we do. Here are some of the things we’ve been focusing on…

We’re grateful for our team – the people we spend our days with and work beside.
We’re grateful for our clients – the people we’re helping achieve their dreams.
We’re grateful for our network – the people we’re connecting with and how we’re helping each other achieve our goals.
We’re thankful for our families – the people who are cheering us on from the sidelines.

Let’s stop for a moment to make sure we don’t lose this key insight. The first four things we’re thankful for are all tied to creating deep relationships. Don’t miss the importance of that. Those relationships are the foundation of everything else. Invest in those and be grateful for them, and everything else follows.

Now, let’s keep going…

We’re grateful for all of the opportunities that keep coming our direction.
We’re grateful for our creativity and imagination – the way our minds work.
We’re grateful for the technology we have that helps us make and create.
We’re grateful for the technology that allows us stay connected.
We’re grateful for our vision and the ability to see into the future.

And now, one more shift to the things we’re thankful for personally…

We’re grateful for our breath – that we woke up this morning and have today.
We’re grateful for our pets – the animals in our lives that bring us joy.
We’re grateful for the sunshine and the changing seasons.
We’re grateful for the meals we’re going to share today with family and friends.
We’re grateful for our health and being able to feel good.

Here’s the reality. When we’re thinking about all of the things we’re thankful for, we cannot be thinking about all of the negativity in the world. We’re just not that talented. As much as we claim to be great multi-taskers, we’re still only able to focus on one thing at a time, and if you focus on gratitude you’re going to derail the power of the negativity. You’re also going to help yourself rebound more quickly when challenges arise, and they will.

Remember this as well… Gratitude is contagious. By being intentional about being grateful, you can reset the direction of your day and help impact your teams and clients simultaneously.

Call-to-Action
Try gratitude. For a week, at the start of each day, spend five minutes journaling and capturing what you’re thankful for. Keep a rock in your pocket that reminds you to practice gratitude every time you touch it. Set reminders on your phone that prompt you to reset your mind and be thankful. Have conversations with your friends, family, and clients about what they’re grateful for. However you do it, find ways to make gratitude your go-to and hijack all the negativity.

Shoot us a message… What are you thankful for this week?

Ready for more?
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