The 5 Simple Things I'm Most Grateful For Today - What Are Yours?

A while ago, a friend of mine shared with me a stunning short film called Gratitude – created by Louie Schwartzberg of Moving Art, which he delivered for TEDxSF (TEDx San Francisco).  Each day, I receive scores of clips, articles and posts forwarded by friends and colleagues to review – too many to look at — but happily I chose to take 10 minutes and watch this.

Surprisingly, I found myself tearing up throughout – at the images, at the messages, at the hole this film filled in me.  I’ve watched it numbers of times now, and each time, I’m moved.  I realized suddenly that I’ve been striving so hard these past weeks, and in doing so, I’ve moved away from the one feeling that keeps me full and grounded – gratitude.

Take a look yourself:

 In the work I do – which is about supporting positive change in people’s lives, careers, and professional identities, and maintaining a breakthrough movement for working women – I come to the end of some days feeling worn out and depleted.  These tough times have wreaked havoc on so many lives.  I hear from hundreds of people each month who are in dire need of support and guidance to redirect their jobs and careers, and to feel more happiness and fulfillment.  There’s a never-ending need, and my limited ability to address that need can often leave me feeling defeated.  That feeling of “I’m not enough” — the very emotional experience I work every day to help men and women overcome – sometimes creeps in. 

But then, I stop and have an experience like this, and I remember what I’m doing here.  I get back in touch with what is important, what’s valuable and meaningful to me personally, what I’m on this planet for, and how grateful I feel – and how blessed we all are – to be here.

In honor of this day, I'm sharing openly what I'm most grateful for - these five things in my life:

1) The love and appreciation of my dear family and friends, who bolster me through the tough times, celebrate wholeheartedly the joyous ones, and tell me the raw truth when I most need to hear it

2) My children - who fill my heart to bursting with so much pride and awe at the amazing individuals they've grown to be

3) My work - that I've finally forged a professional path that allows me to grow and use my talents in service of others (which I so longed for during my 18 years in corporate life but just couldn't find the way)

4) My amazing business partners (including Mo Faul and Jayme Johnson) and all the inspiring thought leaders and movers and shakers I'm blessed to connect with through my work, who teach me so much everyday about the power of relationships, collaboration, creativity, innovation and communication.

5) Finally, the raw experience of living as a human being on this planet today, even with all its many painful bumps, breakdowns, and bruises.

I hope you’ll take the time today -- wherever you are and whether or not you celebrate Thanksgiving -- to write down what you're deeply grateful for, in concrete terms and specific terms, and share it openly. No matter how simple these things are that you're grateful for, they're yours and they're vitally important. I hope this film too helps you stop and breathe, and feel deeply, and experience yourself and your life in a different way. 

I hope it helps you remember too what’s important to you, and how blessed you are to be you.

Share below the top five things you're grateful for today. Let the world know!

Happy Thanksgiving, my friends!

To learn more about experiencing gratitude and The Gift of Opening Yourself To Receiving, check out the latest episode of my new podcast Best Work/Best Life, with Mo Faul.