The Karma of Gratitude
“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.”
— William Arthur Ward
Last month, Gretchen and I had the privilege of attending a workshop on abundance led by Peleg Top. What is abundance, you might wonder? Quite simply, it’s overflowing fullness. The cup runneth over. Abundance is actually a mindset and a way of being that affects everything we do. It’s a state in which you’ve got more than you actually need by far. It’s choosing love over fear, creativity over reactivity and gratitude over worry.
Focusing on what you have and remembering to be grateful for even the smallest things is the easiest and quickest way to reap more positives in both your personal life and in your business.
Not sure how? Here are a few ideas to show gratitude in your professional life:
Commit to show your gratitude through actions.
They don’t have to be grand-scale either. Although giving your favorite client a brand new Porsche would be nice, not everyone can fit that into the budget. Simple things like meeting for lunch, asking how they’re doing or sending a link to some useful information all work well.
Say “Thank you.” A lot.
It doesn’t always have to take the same form. Dropping a handwritten note in the mail, sending an email or even taking two seconds to pick up the phone all clearly communicate appreciation. If your client or business partner knows just how much they’re valued, they’re likely to do more for you and maybe even steer that elusive business in your direction.
Start every morning off with a list of 10 things that you’re grateful for on that particular day.
It can be as simple as “I’m grateful that Microsoft Office auto-saved everything before the computer zonked out.” Complexity doesn’t matter. If you start focusing on identifying what you’re grateful for, it won’t take long to be in that frame of mind on a regular basis. While you’re at it, why not write the list down on a piece of paper, in a journal or on a success wall? If you do, you’ll be able to glance at it during the day when you’re feeling frustrated, get bad news, or are overwhelmed by negatives and squeezing the life out of your stress ball.
Put positive things into the cosmos.
Gratitude is not simply saying the words “thank you” either. Have you ever thought about featuring your favorite client in some way? Post a link to their site, tweet about their skill level or just say something nice about them. Who doesn’t love receiving a compliment?
These are just some ideas. Get creative. Your colleagues, clients and business partners will appreciate it.
