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Give Thanks
The summer season is about to end. I hear school buses, family members, neighbors, and work colleagues tell stories about their summer fun and trips. My wife and I reached our summer goal of visiting all our kids and grandchildren who reside in six states. We have so much to be thankful for.
I am reminded of the Stoic philosophy, Give Thanks (R. Holiday & S. Hanselman, The Daily Stoic, 2016):
“In all things, we should try to make ourselves as grateful as possible. For gratitude is a good thing for ourselves, in a manner in which justice is commonly held to belong to others, is not. Gratitude pays itself back in large measure.” Seneca, Moral letters, 81.19.
The concept of gratitude has been with us from the beginning of human life. In Judaism, gratitude touches every aspect of worship and life. In the Christian faith, gratitude is central to the practice of giving thanks to God and to all people they encounter. In the Islamic faith, gratitude is the foundational guiding principle. In Buddhism, gratitude offers a way to be thankful for simply being alive, existing, and all the gifts that come with being alive and present.
As leaders of organizations, teams, and families, let us pause from the world’s noise and be grateful for today. Gratitude is a gift to receive and give. Start the habit of gratitude, and you will notice your mindset toward the good things in your life. The following are some practice steps that help you create a daily gratitude mindset and behaviors:
1. Start each day by thinking or recording in your journal about something you’re grateful for.
2. Several times a day, tell someone, “Thank you.”
3. Several times a day, be grateful for the little things, the person who smiled, etc.
4. Several times a day, look for opportunities to be kind.
Thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter. Please stay happy and healthy.
Keep in Touch.
Gerald T. Hannah, Ph.D.
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