Even as the world changes at an ever increasing pace, kindness and gratitude will never go out of fashion. Science tells us that grateful people are happier, healthier, and nicer to be around. Leaders who express gratitude build a team culture that reflects their values.
How can you cultivate an attitude of gratitude? Here are seven tips to help you get started:
Look for the good in everyday situations and in those around you.
Make a list of what you’re grateful for.
Develop a culture of appreciation for the people and things in your life.
Verbally express your appreciation to those who have a positive impact on your life.
Write thank you notes and letters of appreciation to others.
Meditate on the things you are grateful for.
Start having positive conversations with yourself and others, focusing on the good.
Remember: what you focus on gets magnified and manifested. Give yourself the gift and power of gratitude, you’ll feel better and do better!
“Gratitude is the single most important ingredient to living a successful and fulfilled life.” – Jack Canfield
Grateful people are happier, healthier, and nicer to be around. Research has shown that thanking others and explaining why we’re grateful is one of the most powerful ways things you can do.
What are the benefits of expressing gratitude?
It builds and strengthens relationships. When others know we need them, our relationships deepen.
It improves health. Gratitude positively impacts our health by reducing stress.
It makes us nicer to be around. We can all do with a little more social capital; expressing gratitude builds those networks of relationships.
It creates optimism. Gratitude shines a spotlight on things we have, rather than drawing attention to what we lack. This fosters a culture of abundance within us, making us optimistic about the future.
It reduces anger. A practice of gratitude makes us more open to receiving negative feedback and strengthens us over time.
It causes us to be more people-centered. Gratitude shifts attention away from ourselves and directs it to others.
It eliminates negative emotions. With a focus on positive emotions, room for negative thoughts becomes smaller.
It feels good. When we express gratitude, it helps our meed and allows us to feel better about our circumstances and ourselves.
Give yourself the gift and power of gratitude. It will foster stronger relationships, and help you live happier. What are some of the ways that you express gratitude in your life?
“Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for.” —Zig Ziglar
We’ve all heard the phrase “Pay it forward”, haven’t we?
We’re all busy with jobs and families therefore sometimes we don’t have time to “pay it forward” in a big way.
But paying it forward doesn’t have to be something big! As leaders in the workplace and in our communities, it’s the little things in our days that we can do to take the initiative to encourage those we interact with on a daily basis to make a difference. Our acts of encouragement, big or small, can have a profound impact on the people in our lives.
Our actions often speak louder than our words so thinking about how you can encourage someone else, such as offering someone your place in line or simply opening the door for someone, are small acts that not only make others you encounter feel better but make YOU feel better also.
Five easy ways how we can encourage others:
Be specific when praising someone to make it credible, such as “You really did an awesome job organizing the recent XYZ Project.
Mail a handwritten note with words of encouragement or send flowers to show you are thinking of someone even when they’re not around.
If someone is discouraged, offer specific, practical help, such as “Would it help if I….”
Take time to learn the things – words and actions – that make those you care about feel appreciated.
Challenge and encourage someone specifically. For example, tell them, “You should go after that new position, I think you would be really good at it.”
Seems pretty simple, right? Try “Paying it forward” at least once a day for the next week. And then notice how others return the encouragement to you. What a great “Pay it Forward” cycle you’ve now created!
Courtesy of Printer’s Press
“Remember there’s no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.” – Scott Adams
Gratitude does more than make us feel good, it does us good. What’s more, it’s good for other people too. So, thanking the people we’re grateful for increases happiness all round.
Research has shown that thanking others and explaining why we’re grateful, is one of the most powerful ways of spreading happiness. In fact, the study showed that if you write one letter of gratitude to just one key person in your life, you will experience a month’s worth of happiness.
In spirit of “Happy” Thanksgiving, I want to thank all of you…thank you for your business, sharing yourselves, and being open to new ideas and ways of leading others. We learn as much from you with your passionate stories, challenges and opportunities as you learn from us!
Okay, now it’s your turn – whom are you going to thank? Go ahead, see how this is the gift that gives back. You will make their day…and yours.
Robyn Marcotte, Founder and CEO, Aha! Leadership LLC
Writing and receiving handwritten notes are becoming a lost art in today’s society. Yet this tradition of notes is a timeless act of appreciation in both our personal and professional lives. How unexpected and welcomed when you receive a note of appreciation from a client, teammate, etc.? It just feels good….and when you acknowledge and thank others, it’s a simple way to build relationships. You will stand out in that person’s mind, and it will make you feel good as well.
Here’s how to make the most of your thank you notes:
Set the right mood. Select a salutation that matches the formality and intimacy of your relationship with the recipient. Make sure you address the recipient correctly.
Be specific. Reference the exact gift or act of kindness in which you are thankful for. Express how it touched or affected you. Avoid referring to the specific amount of money given as a gift.
Be authentic. Express genuine appreciation in a personal way. Strive to use the same tone you would use if you were speaking to the recipient in person.
Use quality paper. Beautiful stationery shows the recipient that you care and also provides a more pleasurable writing experience.
Write legibly. Take you time and use a good, smudge-free pen. If you’re not sure of what you want to say, write a draft before beginning the final version.
Close with affection. “Sincerely” is a classic option, but you can use a warmer, more personal closing for more well-connected relationships.
Gratitude does more than make us feel good, it does us good. What’s more, it’s good for other people too. So, thanking the people we’re grateful for increases happiness all round.
Research has shown that thanking others and explaining why we’re grateful, is one of the most powerful ways of spreading happiness. In fact, the study showed that if you write one letter of gratitude to just one key person in you life, experience a months worth of happiness.
In spirit of “Merry” Christmas and “Happy” New Year, I want to thank all of you…thank you for your business, sharing yourselves, and being open to new ideas and ways of leading others. We learn as much from you with your passionate stories, challenges and opportunities as you learn from us!
Okay, now it’s your turn – who are you going to thank? Go ahead, see how this is the gift that gives back. You will make their day…and yours.
Gratitude does more than make us feel good, it does us good. What’s more, it’s good for other people too. So, thanking the people we’re grateful for increases happiness all round.