As Thanksgiving approaches, being mindful of your blessings is a topic of discussion that will take place among friends and families across the nation celebrating the one day designated for giving thanks. Showing gratitude is really being thankful with an attitude of sincere appreciation and is a powerful emotion that is often taken for granted.
In a hectic marketplace where time is translated into productivity, being thankful is often pushed aside with the focus on what you need to acquire or produce in order to get ahead. Yet gratitude is a magnet in attracting success and happiness.
When you concentrate on what you have versus what you are lacking it sends a powerful source of energy that influences those around you. Case in point, have you ever been around a person who brightens the room when leaving it? It’s not so much what they say but the attitude that accompanies them.
The truth is connecting with people in a sincere way one that is influenced by gratitude can be more effective than all the degrees acquired in a lifetime and it’s free. All it takes to tap into the power of gratitude is an awareness of what you are thankful for and the appreciation you give back to others.
Expressing gratitude can start right where you are by becoming aware of your emotions. In their book, The Emotional Intelligence Quick Book, authors Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves state that on an average day each person will likely experience 27 emotions every waking hour and when calculating roughly 17 waking hours each day that leaves you with 456 emotional experiences from the time you start your day till you are ready for bed. In a broader scope, that leaves you with over 3,000 emotional reactions each week.
Emotions undoubtedly make an impact on those around you as well as your ability to be productive. If you find yourself struggling to muster up gratitude toward your job start by focusing on one thing every day that you are grateful for; it could be having an easy commute to work, a good team meeting, or help from a colleague. In any case, acknowledging what you are thankful for helps you develop a more positive stance toward work and life in general.
While every day might not be a national holiday dedicated to giving thanks, it can be a good reminder that out of the numerous daily emotions you experience, showing gratitude is a powerful way to cultivate good working relationships.
What helps remind you to be thankful?
