Our relationship with gratitude is a personal thing. A pretty universal observation, however, is that the season is peppered with opportunities to focus on why we’re thankful and how to celebrate more of the good.
Here’s a bit of that peppering, from our SNOWCO table to yours. (Leftovers encouraged.)
“My favorite way to practice gratitude is to have a set block of time scheduled weekly when I focus on sharing how people have impacted me.”
-Gilmara Vila Nova-Mitchell
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“I practice gratitude with an end-of-day gratitude journal. It’s recommended to write 3 things for which you are grateful – some days I have 3, some days 23. I’m amazed at how it helps make the things I’m grateful for feel real and concrete; it also helps me find value in a not-so-great day and in the “minor” details of daily life.”
-Amy Myers
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“I try to pause and catch thoughts of gratitude when they buzz through my mind at the quick pace the world seems to operate. If I catch the thought, I try to hold the feeling of gratitude a bit closer and longer. I also try to verbalize it to the person–and yes, even the thing–I’m feeling gratitude for. A few years ago, when we moved from a house I really loved, I paused on my way out the door for the last time. I put my hand on the front door and expressed gratitude to the house for keeping us safe and comfortable for so many years. For me, gratitude is the opposite of taking something or someone for granted. It’s being intentional in noticing and valuing. In our work specifically, I am grateful to the people who want to engage and to learn. I am grateful for the trust others put into me and I take that very seriously.”
-Dr. Teresa Peterson
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“For me, gratitude is a really great way to break a negative thinking spiral or whenever I experience stress. I try to stop whatever I am doing, bring my attention to that moment, and think of anything that brings some warmth to my heart. Anything that will create a reaction in my body and ideally leave me with a smile. When it comes to our team, there’s so much to be grateful for – especially the huge amount of trust, support and love for each other.”
-Kristin Sauter
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“I’ve learned that feeling grateful is one thing and speaking it out loud is another. I try really hard to let people know how much they impact me whether it is in how they support me, how they push me, or how they help me see things differently. I’m not sure I will ever be able to express fully my gratitude for this team and the clients who trust us to support their journey. The work is better and I am better because of them. When I struggle with mental health, gratitude is a way I can get out of my head a bit and connect to others. The loving kindness meditation is a powerful practice and one I would recommend people explore.”
-Sarah Noll Wilson
Sarah Noll Wilson is on a mission to help leaders build and rebuild teams. She aims to empower leaders to understand and honor the beautiful complexity of the humans they serve. Through her work as an Executive Coach, an in-demand Keynote Speaker, Researcher, Contributor to Harvard Business Review, and Bestselling Author of “Don’t Feed the Elephants”, Sarah helps leaders close the gap between what they intend to do and the actual impact they make. She hosts the podcast “Conversations on Conversations”, is certified in Co-Active Coaching and Conversational Intelligence, and is a frequent guest lecturer at universities. In addition to her work with organizations, Sarah is a passionate advocate for mental health.