What's Gratitude Got to Do With It?

This year has tested our ability to activate regular gratitude. It’s common at this time of year to take stock of the abundance in our lives, regardless of how successful we were in achieving our annual goals. I recently listened to an episode of Hidden Brain highlighting how doomscrolling chips away at our ability to notice and internalize all of the good that’s happening in the world.  I wondered, am I doomscrolling my life away? As we focus on things we’d like to change, we miss out on the wonder and sweetness of what’s right in front of us.  

I work with clients to strengthen team culture and develop creativity. Virtual team collaboration is a new muscle we’re all building: we need to consciously bring the implicit into the explicit. There’s a strong link between gratitude and creativity. The more grateful we become, the more we believe in what’s possible. It fills our creative cup. It enables us to take risks and try something new. It pushes the boundaries of our imaginations to clearly visualize what’s ahead.

1.     Gratitude is a daily choice. It needs to be practiced. Small but meaningful observations keep me flexing those thankful muscles.

2.     By being more content with “what is,” we open up our future-focused vision. There is a time to bring a critical eye, but it must be balanced with deep appreciation for what’s already going well.

3.     Delight in simple pleasures. A morning cup of coffee. A three-year-old who finally slept through the night. The sun streaming through the window creating a magical shadow.

4.     Reach out and share thanks. The humble act of letting people know how grateful you are for them is needed now more than ever. Imagine a world where you felt even 10% more appreciated on a daily basis?

5.     Keep at it. Like any habit, it takes time to make gratitude automatic. Stick with it. After Thanksgiving has come and gone, let’s bake gratitude into a heartfelt routine.

Once gratitude is woven more into our daily lives, we will discover more energy for creative problem solving. When we feel secure and whole, we have more positive ideas to contribute. And who doesn’t want a second helping of that?