Food for Thought: A Weekly Column from Peter Vajda, PhD.
Gratitude
By Peter G. Vajda, PhD.
Nov 17, 2007 - 2:06:13 PM

Greetings,

This week’s “food for thought” is below.

I hope it piques your interest and curiosity about "who" you are, and "how" you are, in your role as a leader, manager or supervisor.

I also hope you'll share this with colleagues, post it on bulletin boards, use it to generate rich and rewarding discussions and learning in your formal and informal meetings, in your "lunch and learn" sessions, in your workshops and training sessions, and include it in your newsletter.

I'm grateful for the opportunity to share this information with you and I hope you find this reading insightful and rewarding.

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Gratitude
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Here in the States, it's Thanksgiving this coming week; so I think a piece on gratitude seems appropriate.

"He who would be blest, let him scatter blessings."  James Allen, in "Above Life's Turmoil".

James Allen wrote this line to make his point about sowing and reaping. He uses the line to make a point about the power of giving thanks, of having an attitude of gratitude.

The Bible, Talmud and all the great world religions include the power of gratitude in their teachings. In the Koran it is written that “If you are grateful, I will give you more.”

Indeed, sometimes it's pretty amazing the way the Universe rewards those who are grateful. It’s almost as if the Creator says He’s thankful for what He has, let's give him some more. And the opposite can also appear to be true. As if the Creator says He’s unhappy with what He has now, so lets not give him any more. Sincere gratitude seems to unlock abundance in our lives.

Numerous scientific studies indicate people who are thankful and grateful for what they have are happier, have better relationships and enjoy better health --- the only reasons you need to have an attitude of gratitude. But there are practical reasons too. In one study the participants who had been in the gratitude condition reported having made more progress toward their goals.

Americans gather this week to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday but this message is for those of all nationalities. Gratitude and Thanksgiving aren't just once a year or even once a month things. Spending time each day giving thanks for the blessings in your life (and everyone has blessings they can count) is a great habit to develop.

Jeff Keller, author of "Attitude is Everything", says, “It costs you nothing to be grateful and appreciative, yet it has a considerable impact on the quality of your life. So, don't waste another minute. Every day, reflect on the priceless gifts you've been enjoying. Openly share your gratitude with others. And, the next time somebody asks if anything great happened to you today, you'll have plenty to say!”

In addition, you might want to express a prayer, an expression, a feeling or thought of gratitude this week, and every week. Here are some possibilities:

Thank you for making me a part of your creation. Thank you for deciding that free will, remembrance and self-awareness is a part of existence, even down to the smallest particle.

Thank you for making more than one of us, so we can love each other. Thank you for making light a rainbow, instead of just one color. Thank you for letting us have loneliness, so we can come together in love. Thank you for letting us have ignorance, so we can become wise. Thank you for letting us have childhood, so that we can become mature.

Thank you for letting me see you through the eyes of my children, and letting them see you in my eyes. Thank you for my friends and relations, who remind me to love the whole tapestry of life and not just the prettiest colors. Thank you for my lover, who reminds me of your love when I need it.

Thank you for letting us have the sunrises and sunsets that people call birth and death. Thank you for the trees and flowers that are the growth of love and awareness in our hearts. Thank you for the birds and beasts that are the thoughts taking on a life of their own. Thank you for all of life.

Thank you for letting us know that you are there, by the way you respond to the prayer of our hearts.

Thank you for letting me be wronged, so that I can know the complete joy and compassion of forgiveness.

Thank you for letting me be like you.

Finally, perhaps come up with a way to thank or acknowledge people in your life who are often overlooked; some possibilities:

1.  Send a bouquet of flowers to a busy mom.

2. Write a “thank you” post-it note to a co-worker and paste it on their computer or desk; bring a co-worker a cup of coffee, hot chocolate, or tea; invite a co-worker to lunch.

3.  Offer support to a military family in your community. You could send a note of comfort, help out with work around the house, or offer to take someone to lunch. Some of these folks have been away from their loved ones for months and could really use your loving kindness. 
 
4. Speak to the boss of an administrative assistant who has provided you with exceptional service and let him or her know how great you were treated.
 
5. Send a thank you card to someone who would least expect it, like your auto mechanic, lawyer, accountant, dental hygienist, or doctor. 

6. Bring a box of goodies to the office, or to your post office, your local fire department or police station, and let the employees know that you appreciate them. They rarely get this kind of acknowledgment, and the surprised look on their faces is heart-warming.

7. Leave a larger than normal tip hidden under a cup for your favorite restaurant server.

8. Write the words "thank you" on the bills you pay this month

9. Bring some homemade cookies to a local Veteran's or Nursing home.

10. Send a note of thanks to the teacher who takes good care of your son or daughter.
 
11. Give freely of your special talents, skills, knowledge or time to support someone who could use some help right now.
 
12. Perform a random act of workplace or community kindness out of gratitude that you can.

13. Stop for a moment and browse through your address book to identify the people who serve you, keep you safe, or help make your life easier in some way.  Then, consider the people in your place of work, your neighborhood, community, family or friends.  Who could use a special acknowledgment, a word of thanks, this week? Make a list of maybe five people and thank one special person every day.
 
Generally, appreciation means some blend of thankfulness, admiration, approval, and gratitude. In the financial world, something that ‘appreciates’ grows in value. With the power tool of gratitude, you get the benefit of both perspectives: as you learn to be consistently thankful and approving, your life will grow in value.

 
So, our $10 food for thought questions are:

• For whom and for what are you grateful?
• Do you take time every day to express gratitude for what you have?
• Do you know you are truly a work of art, a masterpiece, in your own right?
• Who do you know who could use a supportive word or act of loving kindness right now, this minute, today, this week? What would it take for you to offer that word or act right now, today, this week? Will you?

A Buddhist prayer I offer each morning:

May we be filled with loving kindness;
May we be well;
May we be peaceful and at ease;
May we be happy.

In the interest of sustaining the life of your organization, which, after all, is not some nebulous entity, but rather, a living organism consisting of living and breathing cells, i.e., individuals like you.