LIFE LESSONS IN GRATITUDE

Many of us have heard that gratitude builds our resilience. Many of us have actually worked on being more grateful, usually in little spurts in our life. So why don’t we take this more seriously? Why are we only grateful in these little spurts, around Thanksgiving, or when doing a mindfulness exercise, and then we go back to the grind of life and fretting about all the stuff we have to do?

I love this quote (paraphrased) by Dr. Barry Morguelan:

“Imagine if you remembered all your successes as much as you remember your challenges.”

This quote illustrates what I consider to be the real magic of gratitude. I’ve learned that where I put my focus hugely influences what I bring into my life. When I know what I appreciate and what brings me joy, I seek it out more intently. And, quite frankly, the universe sends more of it my way, effortlessly.?

1. I am grateful for the warm shower I took this morning.
2. I am grateful for my child’s unfiltered smile when he sees me.
3. I am grateful that I have a job.
4. I am grateful my job allows me the opportunity to help people transform and be the best versions of themselves.
5. I am grateful for a loving, supportive (wickedly handsome) husband.
6. I am grateful for my yard.
7. I am grateful for my goofy, fun-loving dog.
8. I am grateful for my brilliant, fun, inspiring friends.

These sentences bring tears to my eyes because I feel gratitude. I allow myself to really feel it. I numbed myself for too long and gritted out a life for too long.

To answer my own question about why we don’t focus more on gratitude, frankly, it’s scary to open your heart to what you care deeply about. And it’s terrifying to realize that we’re wasting our time and energy on crap we don’t care about. Our society seems obsessed with thinking when it’s really our hearts that guide us best. The best decisions I’ve made in my life have been made with my head, not my heart.

Let’s use gratitude to help guide where we invest our time and energy. This month, daily, let’s reflect on what brings us joy and fulfillment in our lives. What makes us want to get out of bed? What makes us know that we are living life RIGHT, in the way we’re meant to? Joy is the NorthStar, and gratitude the guide.

From what I can tell, we’ve only got one whack at this life. I don’t want my gravestone to say “Meg survived a lot of tribulations, was moody and resentful, and only loved a very few people.” I want to LIVE my life. I want to love, to contribute, to spark joy in others, to have adventures and incredible experiences. I want a challenge. I want growth. I want deep, meaningful connections. I’ve learned this from gratitude, and it inspires me to have the discipline to create these experiences and realities in my life.

I want this for everyone I know or come in contact with! I want you to live in joy. In my book, the Adversity Hack, there is an activity that walks the reader through some key questions to begin to uncover who they really want to be in the world. At work and at home. What kind of influence do they want to have? What kind of experiences do they want to have. By centering ourselves on what we want in our lives, and how we want to contribute to the world around us, we can shift our focus from stress, overwhelm, and angst. This act alone changes our brain functioning and body chemistry and gives us more energy. Conversely, the more we focus on our stress, our worries, our insecurities, and our irrational fears, the worse our brains function, the more harmful chemicals we pump into our bodies, and the more drained we feel.

I keep a daily journal of all the wins in my life. I sometimes have 40 or 50 wins a day. They are things that I accomplish, like eating a healthy lunch, or gifts I receive, like a friend reaching out with a funny meme. I track everything life brings me that I appreciate, and things that I’m happy I created in my life. This, my friends, is a game-changer.

If the science behind gratitude isn’t enough to convince you, I challenge you to try out my little experiment and keep daily wins or gratitude journal for two weeks. See what comes up for you. See what you learn about yourself and what you want!

I want you to allow your heart to be filled by your life. I have discovered that phenomenal gift, and I protect and foster that gift daily. These words are not trite or impractical. In fact, gratitude might be the most practical tool you can use to increase your joy and fulfillment in life.

The Leadership Practices I’m Most Grateful For

We have so much power as leaders! Power to help people, and power to make them miserable. The “Great Resignation” isn’t coming out of nowhere. You know the adage ‘people don’t leave a job, they leave a boss’? Really consider that. We devote so much time, heart, and energy to our jobs, and a boss with poor skills, mindsets, or beliefs can zap the life out of us just like that. I reflected on the best leaders I’ve had, and the best leaders I’ve worked with, and come up with this Top Five List of Leadership Practices that Inspire Gratitude. Visit - Join our Making Shift Happen Calls

1.????Leaders who coach with questions and compassion. (MSH October 15)

2.????Leaders who understand what motivates and the importance of fostering that motivation. (MSH August 12)

3.????Leaders who know how and when to rebuild trust (MSH Aug 20)

4.????Leaders who don’t allow toxic behaviors (MSH July 15)

5.????Leaders who can put their egos aside. (MSH July 23)

Meg Poag