“Life without thankfulness is devoid of love and passion. Hope without thankfulness is lacking in fine perception. Faith without thankfulness lacks strength and fortitude. Every virtue divorced from thankfulness is maimed and limps along the spiritual road.” John Henry Jowett
During an employee engagement workshop for managers, I shared with the participants the value of keeping a gratitude journal. I shared that this practice not only helps to reduce stress in their personal lives, it’s a good activity to inspire positive communication in the workplace as well.
One woman got in my face and angrily asked, “I don’t have time to add one more thing to my plate. When do you expect me to give up to do that?” I answered, “How about less than two minutes of sleep?”
A gratitude practice does not have to be a long, involved process. It can be as simple as writing down 3-5 things for which you are grateful. Throughout the day, verbally acknowledge people who help you, send a thank you note, and look for the good – no matter what happens during the day. Once you develop the habit of thankfulness, you’ll notice how much easier it is to find.
Start your practice where you are. If you only have two minutes, give yourself the gift of spending those two minutes in gratitude. Once you see the life changing benefits of expressing appreciation, you’ll willingly increase the time you allot to your practice.
PS – I’d love to hear your experiences with your new or established gratitude practice.