29 May 2017

Gratitude is an under-estimated virtue. But it’s a powerful one.

I would wager to say if there was more gratitude in the workplace then there would be far fewer issues all around. From the so-called highest positions (CEO, management, etc) to the positioned imagined as lower, gratitude can go a long way to creating peace in the workplace.

Shortly after my near-death experience when I was 19, when I was finding new direction in life and aspiring for greater heights, I found that practicing Gratitude helped me get through challenging situations where I lost sight of the goal or where my intended aspiration seemed so far out of reach.

Now, years later, I return to Gratitude once again and now with a wider perspective of its Power to yield great results.

Whether you work in an office, school, community setting, home environment or construction zone, there are undoubtedly countless opportunities throughout the day to experience Gratitude.

Personally, when I am making a conscious effort to express Gratitude I like to say the words directly but there are also ways to demonstrate Gratitude with actions too.

Here is a good challenge to try:

In your work environment today, the next time someone says or does something which irritates you try feeling Grateful instead.

It’s like that old story about a man who was searching for someone and at first a security guard gave them a hard time and chased the one who was searching. But as the searcher was running, he then ran right to the location where the person he was looking for was. He then said, “If I knew in the beginning that the watchman (security guard) would lead me to my beloved, then I would have thanked him in the beginning instead of cursing him.”

So when a big obstacle comes up today, why don’t you give this a try?

Just thank the person who has brought the challenge to you. Find gratitude for the challenge and move forward with Enthusiasm and Patience, keeping your eye open for signs of something really positive emerging in the situation.

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For more tips on how to include a practice of expressing Gratitude in your day-to-day life, consider checking out The 19-Day Transformation Program. One of the exercises is to make a list of the 9 people closest to you, recognize a virtue in them, and then tell them that you see it. This is a fantastic way to show Gratitude to the people you care about.