It’s Thanksgiving, But We Should Always Give Thanks

It is Thanksgiving season, and for those in the United States, this week is the holiday. While it is associated with lots of food, family and get-togethers or celebrations, it truly is a season of thanks and gratitude. We all know that it should be an everyday practice, but if it takes the month of November to serve as a annual reminder, we’ll take it.

And something we can all be thankful for is a good list. Lists are great: they keep things simple, they’re easy to read, and you know what you’ve got right away. Here is a list of five things you can do to practice gratitude and be thankful.

1. Take a gratitude walk. It doesn’t have to be long, but get outside for a few minutes. Leave all your devices behind and spend that time thinking about things you are grateful for. I heard Jon Gordon (author of The Energy Bus) talking about this on a recent podcast. I thought it was a great idea. He also mentioned that it was a that type of walk that inspired The Energy Bus book, which ended up changing his life.
2. Leave a gratitude note. Grab something as simple as a Post-It Note, or even a scrap of paper, and leave someone a short note of how you are grateful for them. Simple, easy, and it will make both of your days.
3. Begin a meeting (or all your team meetings) with gratitude sharing. Take a few minutes to let people share what or who they are grateful for. It might be the perfect way to get people excited about coming to a meeting.
4. Keep a gratitude stone (or token). Keep a stone or other small token such as a coin in your pocket and rub it whenever you see and feel something you’re grateful for. It can be a nice reminder of all the other times you have recognized you are thankful for someone, something, or someplace in your life. When it is out of your pocket and you see it, it serves as a reminder there as well.
5. Take a gratitude picture. We all have cameras in our pocket now, so why not use them to snap a quick picture of something that makes you smile during the day. This can also be a nice way to add to a daily gratitude journal at the start or end of a day to keep the memory alive and relive the moment. Don’t overthink it. This could be the sunrise, sunset, your dog, a tree you used to swing from as a kid. We all have things we see that just make us smile.

This is a short list of different gratitude reminders you can create for yourself. They can be done anywhere, anytime. Make them your own and do them on your own schedule. Just remember, it doesn’t have to be limited to November. We can give thanks always.

Now, just a quick note of gratitude of my own. To all those that have supported me and been a part of my career, I appreciate it. Thank you for pushing me harder. Thank you for asking more of me. Thank you for understanding and supporting what I wanted to achieve. Thank you for being patient while I figured it out. Thank you for picking me up when I stumbled and fell. Thank you for the smiles when I needed it most. Thank you for the kick in the rear when I needed that too. Thank you for your time and your wisdom. Thank you for being you and encouraging me to be me. Thank you for your love and friendship. And, for all those that read these articles or the weekly quotes I share, it means so much to me. I am always so humbled and honored when someone mentions that they read something I wrote or shared and that it helped in some small way. Thank you for sharing those moments with me.

Finally, I wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving or just a Happy Day of Thankful Reflection. Celebrate your prosperity and continue to look for ways to share your ideas, experiences, and opportunities to create more positive memories for you, your family, and those around you.

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