Gratitude Practice?

Last year held a lot of stress and uncertainty for many.

So, instead of writing to you about politics, or the economy, or the supply chain, I figured I’d change the script and write about something completely different.

Let’s talk about gratitude.

Is gratitude a practice for you?

In my role as a financial professional, I’ll tell you that it should be.

Why?

Gratitude reminds you of what really matters.

Not the lines at the store.

Not the traffic.

Not what happens on Capitol Hill or Wall Street.

But, what really, truly matters.

I am deeply, abundantly grateful today.

For the food in my fridge.

For the roof over my head.

For my health.

For my circle of family and friends who love me.

For my community that has given me a home.

For my amazing clients and partners who have given me a vocation.

Taking inventory of all my blessings gets me through the minor irritations.

It also helps me reset when something major happens.

Gratitude calms me when things get stressful and overwhelming.

What are you grateful for?

Has it changed over these crazy couple of years?

Do you have any rituals around gratitude? If not, the new year is a great time to start this as new practice!

Want some insight into the relationship between gratitude and happiness? Here’s a great TED talk on the topic by Benedictine monk David Steindl-Rast. If you watch it, will you send me your thoughts?