Practising Gratitude

Welcome to the LIFT Your Impact newsletter, where you gain insights on leadership, communication, and storytelling. And great news! You can now order my new book, Lift Your Impact, here in the UK and here in the US! For bulk orders contact our team!

Or to book me for a speaking engagement click here (virtual or in person).?

Now that Lift Your Impact has officially been released, I’m able to breathe for a moment and reflect on some of the ways this journey has made its own impact. It reminds me of one of the most important practices in both my work and my life:?

Gratitude.

I’ve spent a lot of time talking about Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey in storytelling, the long and arduous journey that our protagonist takes to achieve their goals. When teaching this technique, I emphasise the importance of not putting yourself in the hero’s shoes. You are the mentor, and your listener is the hero.

But for a moment, I want to place myself in the hero’s shoes. If the publication of my book was my hero’s journey, then I’m near the end and on to the final stage:

The Return with the Elixir

For this particular adventure, I’ve set my goals, faced my challenges, and met my mentors. I’ve written the book, published it, and had the support of many, many people.?

In the final stage of the Hero’s Journey, the hero returns to the ordinary world with the elixir, or reward. It may be literal, figurative, or both.?

You may think that this is when the hero can relax and reap all the benefits of a job well done, but the hero is not the same person who left. Adventure changes people. We grow, adapt, and learn, and it’s our responsibility, when in the role of the hero, to apply those lessons to our lives and share them with the people around us.?

Which brings me to my elixir: gratitude.

What I have learned from this journey is that gratitude must be present every step of the way.

If you’re starting your journey, gratitude will anchor you in why you’re setting the goals you’re setting. If you’re on your journey now, gratitude will fortify your resilience. And if you’re wrapping up your journey, gratitude is what you must cultivate and share in order to fully embody the lifted life that you’ve worked so hard to achieve.?

Take a few minutes to express gratitude.

What do you have in your life that you can give thanks for?

This can include your ability to understand these words, breathe the air, feel your heart beating, or have a safe place to sleep. And today, for me, it includes writing an entire book, receiving an overwhelming amount of support from many people, and sharing the life lessons that have been so important to me with my friends, family, and the world.?

What happens if you take this practise of gratitude beyond this moment? See how you feel if you write down what you’re grateful for every day this week. Just a few minutes each day can change your life. I know it has mine.

Thank you to the many heroes and mentors who have helped me on my journey.?

Thank you for joining me for another LIFT Your Impact newsletter.?

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This, and many other tools, exercises, and stories can be found in my new book Lift Your Impact, which is available here in the UK and here in the US! Bulk purchases can be made here.?

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