Got Gratitude?
I sure do.
My heart is FULL as I celebrate the “15 years in business” milestone this month! I think about all the people I’ve had the privilege of interacting with and I’m grateful to YOU for being with me on this journey!
Join my Gratitude Festival on social media as I share stories about the mentors, coaches and colleagues who have influenced my life and the amazing clients that I’ve had the privilege of serving through 1:1 coaching, group coaching, networking groups, workshops, trainings, retreats, speaking engagements and more. Come celebrate with me over on my personal Facebook page, my business Facebook page, Twitter and on LinkedIn!
Gratitude is about expressing thanks, about feeling good, about acknowledging all the good things in your life and business. It can be especially important to do this when you are celebrating a big milestone or anniversary (like me!) but also when your business or your life feels chaotic and stressful…a little bit of gratitude can go a long way in helping you find your way back to center.
Here are three of my favorite gratitude activities that can help you stay focused on the amazing goodness in your business and life.
1. Keep a gratitude journal. This is a practice that was popularized by Oprah years ago so you’ve probably heard of it. But have you ever kept one? Here is a 3 1/2 minute video clip of Oprah talking about her practice and why it matters to her. The last ten seconds are what it’s all about. I used to be a critical person, often looking for the flaws, what was lacking, the missing pieces of my life. Once I started keeping a gratitude journal, it helped me to be more open and receptive to the abundance of good flowing my way.
As it pertains to your self-care, it’s a great way to thank yourself for taking time for you, to acknowledge your loved ones for doing chores or helping with the kids so you can get a much needed break, a place to express sentiments to colleagues who are mentoring, encouraging you or pushing you to grow and flourish.
2. Start a gratitude bowl. At work or at home (or both!), start a practice of recording your gratitudes on slips of paper and then putting it in a special bowl dedicated to this purpose. Then once a week or once a month, have a team or family meeting to sit down and one by one, review the gratitudes and savor them again. It’s a conscious way to connect with your colleagues and loved ones and it’s a terrific exercise to foster good will in the work place and to teach children the value of sharing our gratitudes on a daily basis. It’s also a great way to publicly thank your colleagues and/or family members for their role in support your self-care activities.
3. Express your gratitude publicly. “Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” – William Arthur Ward was so right! People like to be appreciated for a job well done, a goal achieved, a risk taken or simply for being kind. Some easy ways to do this:
- A shout out on social media (Facebook and Twitter are great for this!) or a recommendation on LinkedIn.
- Sending a personalized card (and maybe a gift, too) using Send Out Cards. This system is a GREAT way to really send a heartfelt thank you. (Want to learn more? Send me an email! It’s one of my favorite systems in my business!)
- The old fashioned way – pick up the phone and CALL someone. It’s guaranteed to brighten their day.
Giving voice to your blessings sends a message to the universe that you are grateful to receive which tends to prime the pump for more abundance and goodness to flow your way!
Inspired action: Choose someone that you’ve been meaning to thank and take action on it today! I’d love to hear what you decide in the comments below!
Again, my deepest gratitude to you for helping me celebrate 15 years! WOO HOO!
Elizabeth