What does gratitude have to do with business?
The lessons in gratitude that I learned during thanksgiving weekend.
It is a great time of year for celebrating with family/friends while overeating and overindulging. Life is good. I am fortunate to have friends and family close by to celebrate with and I hope you all have the same opportunities in your community. It is not important whether you celebrate with the Canadians in October or the U.S. in November, as long as you remember to give thanks.
During this past weekend I had an opportunity to reflect on things which deserve a special thanks. Most people who know me, know that I have a loving and giving husband and two wonderful sons. And yes, I talk about them a lot and I love them dearly, but I don’t always “give thanks” for them.
These are the type of gifts that I struggle to express the fullness of what they bring into my life.
It is rare to have two wonderful, respectful young men (that now consider themselves roommates with cheap rent) 
that have the sensitivity to check in on me and their friends with the same consideration and caring.
It is rare to have a long term partner that can still surprise you with his insights, support and commitment to your best interests. And while reflecting on all of this; I realized that there are other areas of my life that I have been overlooking giving thanks for.
Things like:
– The freedom given to me by those who fought wars to ensure it. Thank you brave soldiers.
– The right to vote as a women and those brave women who made that happen Thank you “Famous Five”
– The life I have chosen to live and the clients and coaches that have made that possible.
– The experiences that have helped me to develop into the business person that I am and the connections that I have made along the way. Thank you to all of those that have walked with me and through my life.
– The important team members that make me look good whenever possible (sometimes I don't make that possible – I know – I am working on that)
– The organizations that stretch me and renew me with every interaction.
This is not a complete list but, it is only with awareness that I can see things differently.
And with the realization that I was overlooking people. I am becoming aware of more people and things that I need to give thanks for. I will keep adding to this list every day, because each time I am grateful for a relationship, that relationship improves. I see new areas that can work better and I feel less concerned about making the right connections. Connections just seem to start happening when the right attitude is in place.
For me, giving thanks allows me to respond to the situations I encounter with a better perspective on who I am and how I fit into my world. It allows me see new situations that I might not have recognized before.
So my question for you is. How could an attitude of gratitude affect your business? 
Are you overlooking something in your life and business that you need to feel grateful for? If so how would acknowledging that change your view of your business?
Would looking at your clients with appreciation change how you served them?
Would looking at your team with gratitude and applause change your interactions?
Would being part of an organization be a blessing or one more thing that requires your attention? How could gratitude change your interactions, delivery and participation in that group? And in turn how could that affect your perception and personal growth.
I'm blessed to have so many opportunities and I have come to realize that it is only with an Attitude of Gratitude that I can change my world.
Our attitudes give us the freedom to grow as we need to. To accept what is ours to accept and what is ours to reject. Or to limit our growth in the same way.
Let me know your thoughts. What have I missed here and what are you grateful for this year? How could gratitude affect your life and business? Test it out and let me know.