On Gratitude
tl;dr — Tell your people you're grateful for them, tell them why, and tell them more often.
I believe our society — hell, all of humanity — would be better off if we practiced gratitude more.
In America, most of us actively express gratitude once per year. On Thanksgiving.
Today, most of us will gather with our families, watch some football (grateful that we have both American football & the World Cup going on today 🙏), eat some turkey, and make a gratitude post on social media. Some of us might even send a few notes of gratitude to friends or family. Then we’ll proceed with our lives, waiting until next Thanksgiving to do it all over again.
To be clear, I’m not hating. I love Thanksgiving.
What I take issue with is that for many of us, this will be the only day of the year we’ll practice gratitude. God knows I’ve been guilty of this.
I don’t think it should be this way.
I believe gratitude should be a consistent practice. A recurring aspect of how we lead our lives.
Why Gratitude Should be a Regular Thing
Sure there are practical benefits to gratitude. The practice of gratitude has long been linked to increased happiness, decreased depression, etc. Giving thanks is present in the majority of the major world religions and philosophies for a reason. Gratidue is Lindy af.
More importantly, gratitude is about more than just you.
Giving thanks is about the people around you. The people you love. At its core, giving thanks is expressing love.
Telling those you love why you love them. What you appreciate about them. Why you’re grateful for their presence in your life.
Gratitude is opening your heart to love. Feeling love flowing in your heart and in the world around you. Letting that love flow into others.
So let’s be thankful.
Tell your co-worker you’re grateful for the standard of excellence they hold your entire company to.
Thank your friends for their loyalty and support, for the way they push you to be better.
Thank your mentors for the wisdom imparted and doors opened.
Thank your parents for the sacrifices they’ve made.
Tell them today, but don’t stop with today.
Tell them tomorrow, next week, next month, and next year. Make your gratitude a practice. A ritual you regularly engage in.
Those you love and the world around you — will be better for it. It’s cliche, but true.
Let us all practice more gratitude my friends.
Happy Thanksgiving. Grateful for all of you.