Think of a time when someone thanked you for what you did for them. How did it feel? Did you feel happy, energized, validated, ready to give more?
Think of a time when you thanked someone for what they did for you. Again, how did you feel? Did you feel joy yourself in seeing the other person's smile? Did you feel energized and warm inside?
Gratitude is one of the most powerful interactions that can occur between people. It has such a powerful, positive impact on us as humans. So why don't we give more of it? Early in my teaching career, I recall being asked by older teachers why I would thank my students for doing things that they were expected to do. When out shopping, I recall being asked by friends why I would thank a store employee for doing something that they were being paid to do. I didn't really have answers at the time, I just knew that I liked to make people smile.
The value of the gratitude I expressed with people began to dawn on me years later when my wife and I were directing a summer camp. At the end of each week, we would debrief with our staff, discussing what went well and what could be improved upon. It was very important to us to allow our staff members to give their input. I was very surprised when one fellow in his late teens said, "I love working with this team. I could be mopping the floor and someone will tell me how awesome I am and how grateful they are." I had no idea of the positive impact our gratitude was having, but upon reflection, I noticed that the spirit of gratitude had trickled down to the entire camp, to the youngest campers. It helped to create what was possibly the best camp of that summer for everyone involved.
As I've read more on the topic of gratitude, I've learned that it is one of the most powerful forces in bringing joy and success into our lives. Albert Einstein said that we can live lives where nothing is a miracle or lives where everything is a miracle. Similarly, we can live lives where nothing is a blessing and where everything is a blessing. The choice that we make will have a tremendous impact on us and on everyone around us.
Try to live today looking upon everything as a gift or a blessing and express your gratitude. Say please, thank you and you're welcome. Watch the faces on those around you light up, and embrace the good feelings. If you like how you feel, try it again tomorrow, the next day and the next.
Why should we be grateful? The more appropriate question may be, "Why wouldn't we be grateful?"
