Gratitude – For whatever ails you!

No matter what’s wrong with you, my friend, there’s more right with you than wrong.

This saying makes me laugh! (and you know how I love to laugh 😉 

But it’s SO true! We can get so caught up in what’s wrong; with ourselves, at work, with our kids, our marriage, our finances….That we forget to acknowledge all the good.

Often at bedtime, we snuggle in and ask our kids, “what are three things you’re grateful for today?”, and we share ours.

Recently I was thinking how beautiful it would be if we opened our mornings like that also. You know, ‘good morning’, hugs, then appreciations, as one of the first things to reflect on in the morning. Wake up and notice three things that we’re grateful for.

Think about the amount of time we’re busy and we’re pushing, pulling, asking, demanding and stretching ourselves. We sometimes forget how powerful it is to just be grateful, and how gratefulness creates happiness and how we’re all just striving for more happiness.

As managers, as leaders, as parents, we’re often busy directing, guiding, questioning and correcting mistakes, misunderstanding and misinterpretations. Simple, honest and regular expressions of gratitude can shift our own experience and that of the people with whom we work and live.

Maybe the most beautiful thing that showing gratitude does for us, is the pause. It allows the sides of us that are always hustling and trying to get things right and done, to relax. Time stretches for us. Then maybe we see how the universe has our back and how our team, be it our family or our work team, actually supports us so well. When you practice this, you feel how powerful it can be. What if every day was about thanksgiving and we gave thanks to ourselves and those around us? What would (work)life be like?

So, here’s something, that when practiced on a daily basis, will help you experience more joy: Take time today (and each day) to experience the beauty of recognizing, feeling and giving gratitude. An added bonus is to log these in a gratitude journal (paper or electronic). This is your prescription to feeling better!

Also try this to have an even bigger impact: Instead of just a thank you, share specifically what someone has done for you and how you feel because of that. Try it at work and beyond. It feels great to be appreciated!

Thank you for taking the time to read this. 🙂

Trevor and I are always so grateful for the people who join us at our Conscious Leadership Experience. This is the pause, the reflection and the practice of self-awareness/empathy and connection that changes lives and results. If you’re ready for a reset, please consider joining us!

Creating Conscious Leadership, one conversation at a time…

Sometimes in life we become emotionally invested in being right or showing how our experience is harder than everyone else’s.  The reality is we all have a unique journey and the session reminded me that although I may not be able to control events or what someone else says or feels, I can control how I experience them.  Learning to understand what my true needs are in emotionally charged situations will enable me to experience my journey in a whole new way, leveraging the insight I have learned about myself which will undoubtedly impact my interactions with others.” ~ Cara W., Sr. Advisor, Ottawa, Canada

 

To more joy!

~ Dale