I recently attended a networking event for female entrepreneurs and small business owners. These events typically host a speaker who presents on topics giving us new skills and ideas to help propel us to the next level. This time was different – it was up to the group of women at our individual tables to provide the wisdom.
The topic of the day was Gratitude and for the next hour, we would each have the time to talk about our own gratitude. Now with all the successful women in that room who have accomplished many achievements and milestones throughout their lives, one would think those would be first and foremost on their gratitude list…but they weren’t.
One woman spoke about beating cancer and how she was grateful for every small moment in her days. Another woman said she was grateful for the gift of dance and how powerful and alive she feels when she puts on her dancing shows and turns up the music. And another woman shared that she keeps a gratitude jar that she fills with small slips of paper with random things that she is grateful for throughout the year. Her sister-in-law keeps one as well and they have an annual ritual of reading theirs together on New Year’s Eve while sharing a bottle of wine.
How do you acknowledge your gratitude? A daily practice of gratitude can increase your energy, reduce anxiety and stress and improve your ability to make decisions. Write down good things that happen in your day – aim for at least three. Your gratitude can be anything such as a compliment from your boss on a project you are working on to enjoying a meal outside on a perfect weather day. Acknowledging the positive aspects of your days and life in small but meaningful ways, helps you realize how much you have which increases your personal and professional satisfaction.
