Thanksgiving is a holiday that offers everyone the opportunity to reflect on the past year and express gratitude for blessings. No matter how you and your family choose to celebrate the holiday, you should take a moment to consider the many good things in your life and acknowledge where you have experienced growth and positive change. This is a wonderful practice, but this is not something that you can only do on Thanksgiving Day. In fact, there is no reason why you cannot cultivate gratitude and practice thankfulness every day of the year.
Being thankful is one thing, but actually giving voice to your gratitude is not something that you should reserve for only one day a year. Thanksgiving is a good time start the habit of telling people they are appreciated. Don’t wait until November to tell your family, your friends, your customers and employees that they are important. Expressing gratitude as the opportunity arises throughout the year is not only good for the people you are thankful for — it’s good for you, too.
There is evidence that suggests that expressing gratitude is good for a person’s emotional well-being. On a professional level, expressing thanks and appreciation frequently can actually be good for your business. Being kind and appreciative can change attitudes, improve workplace morale and provide motivation. On a personal level, expressing thanks and appreciation frequently can be beneficial for your relationships with your friends and family.
Developing an attitude of gratitude is not something that happens overnight, and you don’t have to wait until Thanksgiving to start. Thankfulness can start today, and it can be something you practice everyday. Make it a habit to frequently think about the things you have to be thankful for, and don’t wait to tell people that they are appreciated. Making these two things a regular practice is the first step into becoming a more thankful and more positive person and business owner.
By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC