Leading Through Change Series: Gratitude
By: Sandra Thomas-Comenole
Tags: Gratitude, Change Management, Leadership, Thankfulness, Motivational

Gratitude is the art of being thankful or grateful…even when you feel like there is nothing to be thankful for.

gratitude

noun /ˈɡræt̬.ə.tuːd/

the feeling or quality of being thankful or grateful

Gratitude is the art of being thankful or grateful…even when you feel like there is nothing to be thankful for. While the chips are down, while everything seems stacked against you, right now; consider not what you don’t have but what you do have. And be thankful for it. Then show gratitude.

Being grateful can have a resounding effect on your thoughts, your wellbeing and the world around you. Renowned scientific expert on gratitude, Robert Emmons, describes gratitude as an affirmation of goodness because through gratitude we are proclaiming that there are good things, gifts and benefits that we have experienced. Further, he explains, “we recognize that the sources of this goodness are outside of ourselves…We acknowledge that other people — or even higher powers, if you’re of a spiritual mindset — gave us many gifts, big and small, to help us achieve the goodness in our lives.”

So often we focus on what we don’t have and where we are lacking and the things that we are up against. We tend to forget about the things, the people and the opportunities that are right in front of our eyes. Being grateful can often shed light on these resources that you had forgotten about. Take stock of the great things around you. Be grateful for them. And show your gratitude.

Be grateful for the people in your life: your mother, father, siblings, spouse, children, co-workers, direct reports, indirect reports. Let them know that you are thankful for them and tell them why.

Be thankful for the infrastructure around you: buildings, houses, neighborhoods, libraries, roads, electricity, stores, museums, etc.. Be thankful for the public services that we have: libraries, schools, firefighters, police and military that keep us safe, snow plows, the post office, healthcare.

Take stock in the natural beauty that surrounds us .Be grateful for the natural resources around us: lakes, oceans, forests, mountains.

Be grateful. Be thankful. Show your gratitude.

Being grateful can be a catalyst for change. When you are thankful, it brings about action. This action can be a simple smile to a passerby or a statement of gratitude to a store clerk. Or this action can be a large gesture that helps many people such as volunteering at a local food bank or donating to help children in a far off country.

The action you exert will often have a positive reaction. As a simplified example, the person you smiled at as you walked to work will not only smile back at you but will smile at the next person. And that person will smile at the next person. And like a bunch of dominoes, soon many people are smiling.

When you do great things, expect great things. Being grateful can change your mindset, create happiness, open your eyes to the world around you and set great things in motion. This season be grateful, express your thankfulness and show gratitude.

Leading Through Change Series: The Leading Through Change Series guides business leaders through the landscape of change. In this series we will discuss how to not only be flexible and adaptive to change; but to embrace it, lead through change and leverage change as a catalyst for clarity, compassion, community and, ultimately, growth.

About the Author: Sandra Thomas-Comenole is a marketing professional with over 15 years of outstanding marketing experience and accomplishments, more than 8 years of senior management experience and a rigorously quantitative education in economics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. As a creative, driven, and visionary leader known for breakthrough results, she possesses a range of knowledge and qualifications that has allowed her to be an integral part of the success and growth of several companies spanning a wide range of industries.

Her expertise lies in successfully conceptualizing and implementing innovative marketing initiatives — including both digital and traditional media channels — to drive market impact and expansion. She possesses a deep understanding of product development, market research, international relations, strategic relationships, negotiations and social media management. Check out her profile here: Sandra Thomas-Comenole, Marketing Leader