Writing about gratitude at Thanksgiving is terribly cliché. That is why I am not going to do it this year. Well, what I mean is that I am not going to do it in the most obvious way. This won’t be a list of the things I am thankful for this year. This won’t be a catalog so I can check off the box to indicate that I have thanked the people who have influenced me this year. This won’t be any of those things.
William Arthur Ward once said:
“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.”
I have said, year-in and year-out, that it is a shame we only express our gratitude during the month of November. Instead, I want to share some ways you can show your gratitude all year long to all of the people who touch your life.
- Lend them your ear. When the people around you have something to say, really listen instead of worrying about how you want to respond.
- Invite them to join your adventures. You have something to offer, too, and that might just be showing them how to live outside of the box, and in community.
- Offer to help with a disliked task. Nothing says “Thank You” quite like offering to help someone clean out their closet or move. This is an essential skill when living with others.
- Allow people to help you see things differently. People who challenge us are valuable. Resist the urge say they’re wrong. Allow yourself to look at the discussion from their perspective.
- Introduce friends to friends. Sometimes the greatest gesture you can make is to introduce the people in your life to one another. Make connections and watch them blossom.
- Leave a nice tip. Whatever you think about our tipping culture, the gesture does show your gratitude for the service people in your life. Leave a bigger thank expected tip.
- Write a Thank You note. In this age of digital communications, everyone still loves to open their mailbox and see a personally addressed envelope.
- Start a Happiness Jar. Lastly, in order to make gratitude last all year long, don’t wait to consider the things for which you’re thankful. Keep a jar on your desk and fill it with small notes about all the things that make you happy or grateful throughout the year.
Okay, I will offer you just one thing for which I am grateful this year. I am grateful to see my long-standing dreams of community coming to fruition. I am grateful that I have a chance to demonstrate to the world that I am living my values and help others achieve their goals. I am not just thankful for this because it is November, but because I am alive.
How can you demonstrate your gratitude to the people around you?
