The Power of Gratitude

I’ve been a little cranky lately.
I get that way when I have so much to do that I feel like I’m in a batting cage with the pitching machine throwing me curveballs faster than I can swing, let alone hit anything.
Last week, Carlos, the contractor who troubleshoots any mechanical repairs to our building came by to look at leaks in the air conditioner ducts (that was one of the curveballs) and a pesky flickering light fixture (another curveball).
Always smiling, Carlos noticed right away that I was not my usual cheerful self. When he inquired, I replied, “Oh, we’re just so busy. I’ve got so much I need to do. Planning client meetings, planning retreats, planning educational events.” Okay, I might have whined a bit more, especially about the air conditioner.
So Carlos says, “Darcie, busy is good! You are so lucky that your business is good. If business isn’t good, then you’re not busy. I get too busy too, and when I feel like it’s too much I remind myself I’m lucky to have all this business when so many others are not so fortunate.”
Wow. He is absolutely right.
The difference between my whining and Carlos’ attitude is simple: he has a spirit of gratitude.
That difference in attitude was echoed this week by working with students in the Peace Through Business™ program. The students are women entrepreneurs from Afghanistan and Rwanda who come to the US for business and leadership training. Then they are matched with our local female business owners in matching industries for a week of real-life coaching and mentoring.
Spending time with these women is like getting a wonderful spa treatment. You feel so soothed and blessed. They live in countries ravaged by war and poverty. Yet they have a spirit of generosity and peace that defies words. They are inexplicably grateful, so matter what their circumstances.
So I’m thinking a lot about gratitude today, and the difference that can make in our businesses and our lives. When we’re not grateful, we lose our authentic power. It’s like our batteries are leaking energy.
But choosing to feel grateful give us power. Legitimate power is like an energy sources. We see the glass half full, not half empty. We feel energized by knowing we have choices, options.
What would be possible for you (and me!) if we felt grateful for:
• Our customers: How can we show our clients, our customers, our patrons that we appreciate the trust they place in us to meet their needs? A simple thank you note, a spontaneous email, an affirmation on their Facebook page – these little gestures mean so much. Take time to listen to what’s important to them.
• Our employees: How might your workplace be different if you just had the presence of mind to say please and thank you? Gratitude doesn’t just mean big bonuses; it can mean simply affirming a job well done, appreciating someone’s extra effort or attentiveness. How might that affect their loyalty and commitment to the business?
• Our business network: How long has it been since you’ve taken a moment to reinforce those key relationships in your business community? Take a few minutes to post an endorsement on LinkedIn or identify them as an Influencer on Klout. Or send a quick email to say thank you for the referral they sent you last month.
• Our friends and families: This is our invaluable support network. They are our counselors, or consolers and our biggest cheerleaders. How about telling them you appreciate their encouragement, their listening ear, or their patience when you are distracted or preoccupied with a business problem?

As for me, I’m grateful to Carlos for opening my eyes and to the Peace Through Business students for showing me what true grace looks like.
Thanks to them, I’ve realized that feeling grateful is the most affordable renewable energy source in the world! It’s free! We feed our own spirits, and best of all, it’s contagious!