Gratitude
Turning What You Have Into Enough
The American philosopher Eric Hoffer said
“The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings.”
So, you didn’t rock the world today…
maybe you just changed it slightly. Or, if you didn’t change it even slightly, consider this your opportunity to reset and dare to try again.
Keep in mind, the world is rich in opportunities to pay it forward, show kindness and offer others a hand.
And now, as the holidays crest upon us, we encourage you to use this special time of year as a chance to pause and do an audit of the things in your life for which you are grateful.
1. Good Friends – Good Memories
Not long ago a client told us that she chooses to spend money on making memories with family and cherished friends; not things. Things perish. Memories last a lifetime. If you have just one good friend with whom you’ve created some rich, lasting memories, be thankful. If you have a number of really good friends you are richly blessed.
Be intentional this season and let people know how cherished they are, why not let family and friends know the positive and profound impact they have had on your life.
2. Hard Times
Who likes hard times? No one! Yet life is sprinkled with challenges and setbacks. And only in hindsight do we gain appreciation for the strength of character, thick skin, perseverance, self-awareness and fresh perspectives gained from from life’s challenges.
Hard times grow our community and connection as well. It’s the hard times that expose our vulnerabilities, grow our resilience and prove our courage. And it’s these times of vulnerability that create space for people who love and support us. You can get through almost anything when you know that you are loved, when you know someone has your back.
Look around, who has served you, been there and supported you when times were rough? Reach out and return the support and extend generosity as a way to reciprocate and appreciate.
3. Disruptive Honesty
Self-awareness, a high EQ (emotional intelligence) is one of the common strengths of great leadership and meaningful friendships, yet we all operate with blind spots. Harvard did a study and discovered less than 15% of people are truly self-aware. So on any given day, 85% of us are walking around clueless about how we impact and land on others. We see the world and our impact in it through our own “self-glorified” filters.
That said, if you have someone in your life who knows you, loves you unconditionally and is willing to tell it like it is, that person is worthy of an Amen! And although it may be disruptive and unnerving, truth in kindness is to be treasured. Consider it, feedback packaged as is a gift… a gift designed to make you better.
To have family, friends and colleagues who are willing to have “tough and tender conversations” with you because they are for you and want you to be better is a priceless asset.
Thank those people in your life who have drawn the best out of you by sharing tough and tender feedback.
And think about people you love and care about… have you been hinting and hoping they might change? Perhaps it’s time to muster up the courage and share some tender feedback in the spirit of enriching and improving them. Not sure how to do this? Our upcoming mountain retreat, “Together as One“, will teach you how to have more honest and beneficial communication with your partner.
“Happiness is not having what you want, it’s wanting what you have.”
4. Wellness
Wellness. We often take it for granted until we lose it. If you are spiritually, emotionally, mentally and physically well, be thankful, many people aren’t. And, even if you’re not in good health you probably don’t have to look very far to find someone with bigger challenges than you. Be thankful for what IS working.
We are true believers in this saying, “You’re known by the company you keep.” And we have seen through our own life experiences, the company you keep will draw you up or drag you down. Be careful who you hang with.
Are you spending time with active, healthy and enriching people? Or are the people you’re spending time with draining and exhausting?
Use this season as an opportunity to shore up some time with people who are stretching, growing and improving themselves.
Spend time with people who are spiritually, emotionally, intellectually and physically curious, active and adventurous, they may just draw and inspire you too into a better place.
5. Modern Technology
Yes, we’ve all experienced the drawbacks of the “always on” society. And when it comes to high tech-high touch, balance is the operative word. But think about the Internet. It has flattened the world and democratized everything. There are no boundaries. Now a small, budding entrepreneur with a creative solution can compete with big companies in bringing an idea to market.
Think of the knowledge you have access to today that you didn’t 10 years ago. Think about the thousands of applications we have at our finger tips on our smart phones. Conveniences that enable self-empowered personal wellness, realtime learning and global awareness.
Technology has enriched our lives and broadened our connections. Yet, it also has the power to control our lives!
Regain control, unplug for a morning, get outside, walk, look around and connect with the the world through your own senses.
Perhaps a short break will refresh your appreciation and improve your appropriation of technology and its place in your life.
“We are all drinking from wells dug by others.”
6. Simple, Taken-For-Granted Privileges
If you didn’t go to sleep hungry last night and woke up with a roof over your head; if you flipped on a light and used an indoor toilet; if you used toilet paper, toothpaste and deodorant; if you had a choice of clothes to wear and a fresh glass of water to drink; if you have access to medical care; and if you didn’t have to walk down the street looking over your shoulder in fear for your life, be thankful.
Be thankful… Be thankful!
7. People Who Serve
Notice! Everyday you will run into someone who lightens your load and makes life a bit more enjoyable. Be thankful for the baristas and bartenders who remember your drink and make it exactly to your liking; for the servers who put up with you when you are hungry or in a hurry and not at your best; for the trash collectors who in cold, rain and heat relentlessly dispose of your garbage; for the call center rep who treats you with dignity when so many don’t; for the grocery bagger who’s been on his or her feet all day; and for the first responders who have been up all night responding to countless calls, some serious, some stupid yet each one they own, personalize and elevate to make us better. These are the “invisible” servants who make our lives easier.
Regardless of the work we do, we all want to know that our work matters.
Make the invisible, VISIBLE!
In a simple or a creative way, show the people who lighten your load how much they matter.
8. Teachers, Mentors, Coaches
People who believe in you make you bigger, stronger, more capable than you ever thought you could be. Think back to the people who saw something in you that you couldn’t see in yourself and they affirmed you. A gesture of support, encouragement and affirmation can literally change the entire direction of your life. We are all drinking from wells dug by others.
Be thankful for those treasured souls who invested in you and inspired you to be more competent and more courageous. Write them a note to let them know the value of their support.
Now look around, who in your life could use a dose or two of encouragement, confidence and courage? Pay it forward.
When was the last time you encouraged your partner? Or vice versa? Our upcoming retreat, “Together as One” will show you how to lift up one another and show you how to be each other’s best cheerleaders.
9. Freedom
The freedom to have a voice and express yourself; to vote, pledge and express your beliefs; to worship whomever and however you want; to turn your ideas into a business; to travel and see the world; to learn and get an education; to love and be loved, and the freedom to choose how you will respond to circumstances you can’t control are among the greatest freedoms we enjoy.
An “ism” worth remembering.
We have been designed to choose and we are defined by our choices…Chose wisely and with a generative spirit.
10. An Abundant Life
Thanks to modern medicine, you are more likely to live longer than any other generation in history. Huge advancements have been made in the fight to cure cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and other diseases.
The internet of all things has given us access to the collective genius of a world wide community, an abundant source and collective of answers and insight into many of the greatest global challenges.
And even in the fluctuation of stock markets, gas prices and political agendas, there is no denying, America is still the greatest nation for freedom, education, healthcare and opportunity.
The American dream is real… it’s worthy of achieving… and appreciating.
10.5 a bonus from Melody Beattie
“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.
- It turns what we have into enough, and more.
- It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity,
- It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.
Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and
creates a vision for tomorrow.”
Give Your Relationship A Power Packed Boost in 2022!
“Together as One” is our mountain adventure couples retreat.
As you think about a priceless gift for your spouse this holiday season, give the gift of connection and adventure.
Invest in an action packed weekend designed to grow your appreciation for one another.
Join us for a weekend to reflect, refresh, re-engage and rise stronger together into a more vibrant relationship.
February 10-14, 2022
Sundance, Utah
