Giving thanks and showing gratitude can sometimes feel unnatural, especially when it’s not your first inclination. Yet, it’s in those moments that practicing gratitude becomes most meaningful.
Gratitude isn’t always automatic—it often (always) requires effort and intentionality. Making it a daily habit can transform how you view the world. Grand gestures, like handwritten thank-you letters, are great, but sometimes, the most heartfelt expression of gratitude is a simple text message sent at the right moment.
There will be times when gratitude feels unwarranted or unnecessary. Do it anyway. Even if the moment doesn’t seem significant to you, it might mean everything to someone else. Reflect on your day—who did you interact with? What was said? There’s likely a moment you can be thankful for somewhere in that mix. Expressing that gratitude might be the best thing that happens to someone that day, and it costs you nothing.
Gratitude isn’t limited to others; it can also be directed inward. While thanking those who support you is good, so is recognizing your own resilience and circumstances. Acknowledging the simplest things—a warm meal, a quiet moment, or a small victory—can profoundly shift your mindset.
I teach my kids a simple phrase: “You get what you get, and you don’t get upset.” While it helps prepare them for life’s inevitable disappointments (just a little), it’s also a way to frame gratitude as a natural response to whatever comes their way.
Writing about gratitude around Thanksgiving might seem cliché, but that’s what makes it a perfect opportunity. This time of the year is a gentle reminder to bring gratitude back into our daily lives. It may be another cliché, but clichés endure because they reflect universal truths, proven time and again.
So, what do we do now? Do something good. Do what you can with what you have, where you are.
Always remember that, ultimately, people may forget the exact words you said, but they’ll never forget how you made them feel. So, let gratitude guide your actions and leave a lasting impact.
Thank you Bill for sharing your thoughts, insights, and recommendations! Cheers!