An Attitude of Gratitude
“When you rise in the morning, give thanks for the light, for your life, for your strength. Give thanks for your food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason to give thanks, the fault lies in yourself.””
At home and wherever I am in the world, the first thing I do before I get out of bed each morning even before I open my eyes, is to wiggle my fingers and toes and to thank God for my life, my family, and for allowing me to see another day. Over the years, I’ve suffered in my career due to poor management, lack of sponsorship, and lack of mentorship. I’ve been denied opportunity that I had earned, and at times I’ve been treated incredibly unfair. Of all the disappointing and hurtful moments in my life, my mother’s illness had the greatest impact on me. Her death sent shockwaves through my system, and I felt numb for quite some time. The fact remains that all of my worst of days have yet to outnumber my best days. I awoke in the morning, after all of those dark nights, to see a new day again and again. I endured the present because I saw hope for the future. No matter what you’ve gone through, or are going through, you must have hope for the future. If you look through the right lens, you can see past the present circumstances to better days.
My difficult days taught me what to be grateful for - every decent person, helpful word, and small but unexpected opportunity. Every paycheck, sunrise, wide open field, and sunset. Each airline ticket, good medical report, warm shower, and call from a friend. Gratitude is acknowledging that we are not entitled to these things yet we still have them.
Over time, if we reflect on our worst days with honesty and an open heart, we become more aware of who we are, where we went wrong, and discover what we truly want and need. Sometimes that means working on ourselves. When we do, we become more sensitive, relatable and hopefully compassionate and understanding of the struggle of others too. We become more refined, authentic versions of who we were created to be.
Gratitude is my attitude and my approach to life and leadership. When we’re grateful we treat ourselves and others differently. We speak with kindness and offer help and extend opportunities for growth instead of reprimands and harsh criticism. Even today, when things don’t quite go my way, I try to remain positive and approach my life with an attitude of gratitude.
“I’ve had some good days. I’ve had some hills to climb. I’ve had some weary days and some sleepless nights. But when I look around and think things over, all of my good days outweigh my bad days, I won’t complain.” First verse of the song I Won’t Complain written by Reverend Paul Jones
