JC's Corner

It’s typical for most of us to associate gratitude with Thanksgiving and/or other holidays that are special to us. Have you felt it’s impact on OTHER days, too? Perhaps on a quiet morning? When you least expect it?

I am an early riser, which means I start my day about 4:30am. I find I am most productive in the morning when I’ve had a good night’s sleep which always brings a fresh perspective.  

My mornings are never routine, yet they do include a few routine things: having a coffee; meditating; checking emails; sending Happy Birthday wishes; taking a hot shower; getting a glimpse of the moon or sunrise; and perhaps going for a walk.

This morning, I was going about my day like usual, when it hit me like a Mack truck! Sitting in my easy chair with the fireplace on, a great cup of coffee and basking in the light of the Christmas tree; I felt it.  What’s “it” you might be thinking.

IT was the knowing that what we often think of as the little things are really the big things… the most important things in life. Today, it was the smell and taste of a great cup of coffee, seeing the faces in my mind of those I love and those who love me. It was the realization of how blessed I am to have good health, friends, family, a roof over my head, food in my belly, and having a purpose. 

These may seem like little things but think of life without them. We can do without a new car or a fancy house, or that new outfit that we’ve been eyeing – but can we do without health, love, safety and security?

I found my thoughts shifting to others who may not be as fortunate. I tell my clients that the first step to being the you that you want to be is Awareness. Well, this morning the Universe provided me with an up close and personal dose of awareness. Awareness of how I’ve been blessed and what responsibilities come along with that.

When coaching, I refer to the three WHATs:

WHAT; SO WHAT; and NOW WHAT.  

What is a fact, an occurrence, an experience, or an insight. My What today was the awareness of how blessed and grateful I am. That was great, but does it just stop there? Was it just a passing thought on a quiet morning?  I think not….

So What asks us to identify what this event or insight means. What is the relevancy? My So What in this case was the realization that there are others in my family, circle of friends, neighborhood, community and world that are in a situation or time in their lives when they are not so fortunate, or could be struggling to see how fortunate they are.  

Now What is asking what will you do with this new information, insight, discovery or awareness.  My Now What is determining what I can do to help… maybe it’s calling a friend I haven’t talked with in a while, donating to a good cause, volunteering at the women’s shelter, increasing the number of times I feed the homeless a month … or maybe it is sharing my thoughts on gratitude with you in this blog.

When was the last time you really thought about what you are grateful for and allowed yourself to feel it?  What does the awareness of what you have to be grateful for mean for you? What do, or will you do as a result of this insight? 

Rhonda Britten, speaker and author of Fearless Living says, “When you consciously choose to see the good that is already present in your life, you immediately open up the floodgates for more good to come your way.”  

How does gratitude impact what you say and do?  I’d love to hear what YOU are grateful for and how it impacts your life and the lives of others.  Drop a line to success@jmclark.com or share a comment below to let me and other readers hear about YOUR gratitude experience. 

 

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