Written by: John Scott, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
In 1965, at a Thanksgiving dinner at the United Nations, Sri Chinmoy, a spiritual leader, and meditation teacher conceived of the idea of a global gratitude day. Since 1966, each year on September 21st, more and more people worldwide have been reminded of the power of gratitude.
grat·i·tude
noun / the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.
I used to figure I would be grateful when I finished the job or when everything was just how I wanted it. The trouble with that is it's like denying the good while extending the grind.
How many people on any given day help us with little and big things that we are so accustomed to that we can easily take for granted?
How many people were involved in fixing my car? How did the oranges get from the tree to the fruit section at the supermarket down the street? Who were the guys who built the highway I drive on every day? Who was that lady who let me in when I had to get over to the right lane at the last minute? And it is so great to breathe!
Why think about gratitude?
A University of California, Davis study of 1,000 randomly assigned adults who practiced gratitude were happier, spent more time exercising, were better at regular medical checkups, took more preventive health steps, and were more energetic, alert, and enthusiastic. Emmons & McCullough. (2004) The Psychology of Gratitude. Oxford Press.
The days are long, and the years are short.
We can live in the grind of our daily to-do list. And maybe feeling gratitude for what is good in our lives just doesn't come to mind. Instead, we can dwell on what should be or the anxiety of tomorrow. We can easily drift into ruminating about the past or self-criticism. To live in that grind is to dishonour what is good. We can practice replacing anxiety with feelings of gratitude. There is always some good in those long days!
"Gratitude and acts of kindness create an upward emotional spiral. And appreciation tells the body, good things are happening to me!" Emiliya Zhivotovskaya, The Flourishing Center, New York
We all experience painful and disheartening times like the ill health or death of a loved one, divorce, personal injury, or job loss. While it may be challenging and take time, gratitude can play a beneficial role in reducing the suffering from these painful events by broadening our perspective.
For example, we can feel loving gratitude for a life lost that has impacted us and for partners that have shared part of a lifetime. In addition, we can remind ourselves to appreciate a healthy body or for lessons learned and experience gained from a job we are leaving.
"The grateful mind is constantly fixed upon the best; therefore, it tends to become the best."
Wallace Delois Wattles (1860–1911) was considered a very successful "New Thought" writer. In one of his books, he devotes a chapter to gratitude in which he discusses his view of the attractive mindset of being grateful. To quote a few of his comments, "You cannot exercise much power without gratitude, for it is gratitude that keeps you connected with the Power." And a neuroplasticity truth is, "The grateful mind is constantly fixed upon the best; therefore, it tends to become the best; it takes the form or character of the best, and will receive the best."
A good friend of mine sent me a note recently commenting, "I am reminded to be in gratitude for what is in front of me and not be transported into mental worries of what or what not awaits me."
Consider:
Writing in a gratitude journal daily or at least once per week. "I am so grateful for…"
After the lights are out, take a few deep breathes and long exhales and reflect on things you were grateful for that day.
Tell a spouse, a child, a parent, a co-worker, a client, or a friend how much you appreciate them. Thinking about telling them doesn't count.
If you have people working with you, it's helpful to tell them how much you appreciate all they do. Gratitude, kindness, and appreciation bring us closer and make our world a richer experience.
"Piglet noticed that even though he had a very small heart, it could hold a rather large amount of gratitude." ‒ A.A. Milne
Dwell often in gratitude and appreciation. It's better that way!
John Scott, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
John worked in sales and leadership in the financial industry for 30 years. For part of that time, he experienced a great deal of stress and didn't know the way back. As a result, John's health and well-being suffered. Becoming burnt out was the stimulus to wake up with a determination to do his life differently.
John began a private journey to understand and overcome the negative stress he was experiencing. He found a formula for sustainable performance he now shares to help people move through common challenges to experience more great and less grind.
John has completed Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR, U. of Massachusetts), Foundations of Applied Mindfulness Meditation (U. of Toronto), and the Certificate in Applied Positive Psychology (CAPP, Flourishing Center, NY).
John's adventures include:
• Climbing Mount Kenya and Mount Kilimanjaro.
• Two dog sledding trips to the Canadian Arctic.
• Two record-breaking swim crossings Lake Ontario (51km)
• The first to swim from Christian Island to Collingwood, in Georgian Bay (32km).
John brings his experience in life, learning, and adventure to help people do life and work well through writing, speaking, and coaching.
