Posted on November 19, 2017 By
While being grateful may be top of mind this week, being thankful is better as a regular practice. With that in mind, I thought I’d share a favorite quote that captures the meaning of gratitude and thankfulness. Start following these impulses!
“Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse.” -American Writer, Henry Van Dyke
Posted in: Life |
Posted on September 7, 2017 By
“Nan-a!” her voice held displeasure. “You wore that last week; why do you wear that t-shirt so much?” “It’s my favorite,” I told my 7-year-old granddaughter. “I got it on our first Hawaii vacation when your dad was just a teenager.” I didn’t tell her I bought it when my optimism about people and the world was intact; a time when I was idealistic, or naïve, depending on perspective. In the years since, reality cracks, weathered-edges, and life experiences have augmented and enhanced my views.
Still, that t-shirt is my favorite; not because of its decades-old fabric, although I love its soft feel, and not because it holds memories of exploring Volcano National Park as a young family. No. This worn, turquoise patterned t-shirt is my favorite because it speaks to me.
“No Rain — No Rainbows” the front reads, with “Kimos Rules” on the back — everything from “Never judge a day by the weather” to “The best things in life aren’t things.” The front words are the ones that give me pause, serving their magic in the form of a nudge for me to keep my perspective; to remember life’s rainbows in times of rain.
Certainly life events shape us. As a child, having a fire destroy our home in the middle of the night created my need to (continue reading →)
Posted in: In the Scheme of Things, Life |
Posted on November 24, 2015 By
I’m a colleague of Nan’s. I regularly post here about work, life and sometimes the merging of the two. In the next several days many of us will be thinking about the people, the places and the things we’re thankful for as we celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. What we may not realize is, being thankful throughout the year can have tremendous health benefits for us and it is free! This week, I did some fact-finding* and research* on why it is healthy to practice gratitude every day. I thought I would share it here.
So, what is gratitude? Why is it healthy? And, how do you practice it?
According to Merriam-Webster it is a feeling of thankfulness.
Robert Emmons, a psychology professor at the University of California at Davis, a leading researcher in a growing field, called (continue reading →)
Posted on November 17, 2015 By
In the early days of a start-up company I once worked for, a plump turkey was a small thank you token given to employees around the holidays. The turkey-giving practice lasted maybe three years, until the growing size of the organization necessitated its change. While enhanced benefits emerged to replace that poultry gift, the missing turkey still appeared as a resentment issue years later in employee forums.
Not long ago, I was surprised to hear employees grumbling at a company that provided a daily complimentary hot breakfast to employees. Not enough organic fruit, too many high carb selections, no green tea, and limited options were frequent murmurs. Turns out their well-intentioned gesture was not met with any thanks, just complaints. What didn’t surprise me was (continue reading →)
Posted in: Winning at Working |
Posted on November 6, 2014 By
As a colleague of Nan’s, I regularly post here when things grab my attention about today’s workplace and sometimes, life. At this time of year, I make a conscious decision to think about the many good things and people I’m grateful for in my life. Gratitude … feeling or showing thanks, as defined by Webster. With that in mind, here are several of my favorite quotes about Gratitude:
“When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive. To breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.” – Marcus Aureluis
“An attitude of gratitude brings great things.” — Yogi Bhajan
“Gratitude is the sign of noble souls.” — Aesop
“Giving is an expression of gratitude for our blessings.” — Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen (continue reading →)
Posted in: Quotes |
Posted on January 14, 2014 By
“None of us get a perfect life,” she said at the end of describing years of despair after being widowed as a young military wife with two children under four. Years later, I still reflect on her words and that decades-later conclusion she’d evolved to proclaim.
As we enter this new year of possibility and challenge, it’s good I think, to remember that perspective in our own worlds. Not all of us must deal with the tragedy of sudden loss, the distress of withering vitality, or the hopeless words of medical providers; not all of us must live with perpetual violence, starving children, or utmost poverty; not all of must face hatred, injustice, or inhumanity. Some of us do live with much heavier burdens on this planet.
While I count myself among the most fortunate despite a few challenging squalls here and there, my heart turns to those who face an everyday life under grim circumstances, unimagined grief, or perpetual hardships. Their struggles make my own seem shallow, trivial, and insignificant because they are in the bigger scheme of things.
Yet even for the most fortunate – there is no perfect life. We all face (continue reading →)
Posted in: In the Scheme of Things |
Posted on November 18, 2012 By
As a colleague of Nan’s, I periodically post here when things strike me about titleless leaders, which they did recently.
I live in Ocean City, New Jersey. Recent weather conditions, hurricane Sandy and a Nor’easter a few days later, got me thinking about the importance of gratitude. Not once a year at Thanksgiving but how we operate everyday.
It is something we all know – holding a door, a thank you; a comment such as “I appreciate you staying late to complete that report” all matter. Expressing gratitude builds strong personal and professional relationships. In the workplace gratitude ignites initiative and discretionary effort, and it’s something titleless leaders regularly do.
Try Watching Yourself
This week is a perfect time to start noticing what others are doing at work that is helping you do yours. How can you recognize them in a personal way?
Posted in: Tips |
