Christmas comes hard on the heels of Thanksgiving stateside. I am part of a huge tribe of international coaches, so my Facebook newsfeed gets flooded once a year with a beautiful outpouring of thoughtful gratitude’s – accompanying pictures of family smiles, turkeys, and potatoes with grilled marshmallows on top (don’t ask me!).
It strikes me as a lovely practice. To have a whole day that is dedicated to giving collective thanks. It’s so easy for us to get absorbed in our firmly first world problems (the traffic was bad; we left our i-phone charger behind; the flight is expensive) and lose perspective of how very, veeeeeeeery lucky we are to live such an abundant life in such an incredible country.
2018 has been hell of a year for many. For some they feel lucky to have just survived all it’s thrown their way. And for others it’s been a stellar year of accomplishment and achievement. Whether you have had a horror show you want to put behind you, or a year so good you want an encore – this is a great time to give thanks.
Showing appreciation, not just in word but in deed creates a subtle perspective shift amidst the hustle and bustle of the Great Christmas Logistics Hustle. Taking pause between the present wrapping frenzy and corralling the family celebration to just take a breath and ask yourself – What would I like to give thanks for in 2018? Taking 5 minutes our from the frenzy of doing that characterizes this time of year to look at how 2018 has treated you, and who and what you would like to thank is a great 5 minute mood booster.
Here are a few thought starters for you:
What are the three things best things you want to give thanks for in your personal life in 2018?
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What are the 3 best things you want to appreciate that have happened in your professional life in 2018?
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What awesome thing has happened for you in 2018 that you could never have imagined back in January?
How are you grateful for this experience?
Who are the three people you most want to thank for bringing joy or ease into your life in 2018? Is it who you expect? How would you like to demonstrate that gratitude?
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What experience do you want to give thanks you survived in 2018? What rocked your world, but you made it through? Who are you grateful to for supporting you? What was the silver lining you can be grateful for?
What are you most grateful for in 2018?
Answering these questions is an instant mood booster. Expressing gratitude makes us feel happy. It also shifts our perspective. It’s likely your answers are all very big picture – gratitude for health, or loved ones, or big-ticket work items such as promotion. This big picture focus automatically pulls us clear of the first world gripes about delays, and queues, and the like. Gratitude refocuses us effortlessly to what is truly important to us.
So – onto my thanks – Thank you, dear reader, for reading in 2018 – your continual “you read my mind! How did you know that was EXACTLY what I needed to hear” emails gladded my heart every day. Have a truly restive, festive season and I look forward to continuing the journey with you in what I just know is going to be a stellar 2019.
Louise x
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