Changing the Culture of Care Starts with Gratitude
I'm not sure if it's due to Thanksgiving or Christmas getting closer, or a reactive approach to Black Friday, but my social media streams have been big on the theme of gratitude this last week. I'm taking it as a sign from the universe and am not willing to turn down the chance to give myself a superpower - why wouldn't I want to share it with you?
James Clear sets the scene.......a simple and daily habit of gratitude to allow your negativity-flushed brain to have some positive light moments. This short article gives more on the impact of gratitude on the brain and the flow-on positive effects on our physical health as well as our mental health. The first time I wrote about gratitude, I found a wonderful quote that basically implies practising gratitude will make you smarter - and speaking for myself, I’m going to take all the help I can.
This article from Forbes focuses on the connection with others and the positive impact this can have on teams in a work setting. Acknowledging your gratitude usually means referring to another person and the connection that comes with that. This reminds us you are not alone - we are interdependent and we need one another.
While titled 'How Gratitude Can Help Your Career’ the article from HBR spoke to me about the balance of your strengths and weaknesses. The stuff you do and the stuff you wish you could do better, or more of. It's an uplifting article that reminds you to start with where you are, and that is already a pretty good place.
Brené Brown's research found a connection between joy and gratitude, and in this short video, she shares this insight along with simple ways you can make a sense of gratitude a reality in your everyday.
Finally, a challenge for us all at any time of year, a 5-day Gratitude challenge from TED. See it less as a challenge and more as your moment to be smarter, support your team, and build your career.
Ready to Bring Gratitude into Your Leadership Practice?
If this post resonated, I’ve created two simple, practical resources to help you take the next step:
Gratitude Practice Guide
Quick daily reflection starters to build the habit.
Gratitude Workbook
Range of tools and ideas to build a gratitude practice
You can download both for free below. They’re yours to use, share, and adapt—because small shifts in gratitude can make a big difference in how it feels to work and lead.
On your toughest days, gratitude will always be the answer. This cheat sheet will show you where you can find moments in your day to give gratitude an easy way in.
Want to explore, test and try all the ways to incorporate gratitude. You’ll find the way that works for you so you can make the most of a practice of gratitude and reap the many benefits.
