Thanksgiving is almost here, and Christmas isn’t far behind.
There’s shopping to be done, cleaning to be done, and a whole lot of holiday cooking. Whether it’s buying presents for family (What am I going to get Aunt Mildred this year???) or taking the holiday decorations down from the attic, it seems we’re always adding new items to our holiday to-do list.
Adding the extra “stuff” we have to do around the holidays to the normal busy-ness of everyday life makes the holidays a very stressful season. It can be easy to focus on what we don’t have or haven’t done.
Thanksgiving reminds us, though, that there is a time to focus on the things that we do have and the positive things in our lives.
A Time to Be Thankful
I have so much to be grateful for, whether I look at how my life has unfolded, who’s in it today, or how I was raised.
We didn’t have a lot growing up, but we never wanted, at least not that I was aware of. I spent every Saturday afternoon with my dad working in the shop, doing some projects around the house and listening to the Metropolitan Opera on the radio. He taught me so much about how to fix things, about life in general, and was my first baseball coach; my mom was always there, including being youth leader at church. My parents were involved in my life and encouraged me every step of the way.
I had the opportunity to get a great education. I’ve met some amazingly wonderful people in my life. I’ve been married to the same woman for 39 years. I have two wonderful kids, good friends, a great career. I could go on and on.
Gratitude is important, and there is enormous value that comes from being grateful. In fact, brain science tells us that we can’t be grateful and fearful at the same time. How powerful is that?
A few years back, my good friend Randy Haykin posted a gratitude on social media every day for an entire year. From this practice, he founded the Gratitude Network, a leadership development organization that helps social entrepreneurs serve children and youth around the world by coaching their leaders and expanding the impact of those social enterprises.
I have served on the board of the Gratitude Network for a couple of years. The organization is made up of a group of amazingly talented people who share their experience and are giving back because they are grateful for what they have received.
The Value of a Daily Gratitude Practice
Randy showed me, and continues to show me, the value of a daily gratitude practice, and now I, too, practice gratitude every day.
Gratitude is a staple part of my morning routine. I use the five-minute journal, which prompts me to list three things that I’m grateful for at the start of every day. Since starting this practice, I’ve noticed a change in my mood, creativity, and even my productivity.
Starting your day with gratitude puts you in the right frame of mind by focusing you on the positive things in your life. Research shows that you’re more likely to be creative when you take on a positive mindset.
It’s true, we can focus on what we don’t have—but this feels so much better. Starting the day this way puts you in the frame of mind where you can instead of “you can’t.”
How do you practice gratitude? If you don’t, what are the barriers?
Share below!
