As we enter November, the month when our thoughts turn to giving thanks, I thought it would be a perfect time to reflect on gratitude. Gratitude is defined as “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.” It’s a way to express appreciation for what you have as opposed to what you want or need.
The Effects of Gratitude
When we approach our business and personal lives from a place of gratitude, we set in motion a cycle of positivity that bleeds into all aspects of our lives. This positive karma, if you will, isn’t the only thing gratitude can do for you. It can also create some very concrete changes in your business or personal life, such as:
- A More Reasoned Approach. Taking the time to practice gratitude is calming and centering. When we are centered or operating in gratitude we make positive, proactive decisions as opposed to living in fear and making panicked, reactive decisions. Which decisions do you think tend to be of better quality?
- What Goes Around Comes Around. When discussing gratitude the word karma almost always crops up. Karma, in this instance, refers to the spiritual principle of cause and effect where our intent and actions cause an effect on our own lives. In other words, what we put out comes back to us. We bring in more of whatever we think and feel. It’s not just some new age theory; scientists are continually learning more about how energy actually affects our lives. If you think about what you feel, then you’ll get more of that. When you focus on what you’re grateful for you’ll soon have more to be grateful for.
- Professionalism and Composure. Living in a state of fear or lack can cause entrepreneurs to appear desperate, causing clients to back off. Thus begins a vicious circle: you are desperate, it pushes away clients, new prospects think “I don’t want to work with someone who can’t get clients”, and you’re stuck in a loop. By rooting yourself in gratitude, you give off a more composed, professional, and authoritative presence. This will place you in demand and a different cycle begins: people want to work with someone who’s in demand because that signals the person is an authority who knows what they are doing. The more clients you have, the more clients you’ll get. So, feeling like you have more than you need (or being grateful for what you do have) will actually make you feel confident and will bring in more clients.
- Your Effect on Others. Demonstrating gratitude for what you have or for others in your life will make the people around you feel valued. Family, friends, employees, vendors…if you demonstrate gratitude towards them, they’ll repay it in kind and then some. We all know that a person who feels valued will in turn value you and also want to do more for you.
Bring More Gratitude Into Your Life
When it comes to gratitude, a little goes a long way. Over the next few posts, we’ll explore ways to demonstrate gratitude and how doing so can positively impact your business. If you are currently living in fear and desperation, the coming articles will help you break out of that cycle and turn your life around through gratitude.
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