When I think of what November means to me, thanks and gratitude are abundant. Yes, it continues to be a beautiful month of fall – edging on winter, but our American holiday of Thanksgiving provides a theme that not only inspires thanks and gratitude, but is a really helpful reminder that I want to give thanks or show gratitude on a daily basis. I have so many things to be grateful for, far too many to list in this post.

When I take the time to focus on gratitude, the amount of pleasure it offers me is a great reminder to find time for this on a daily basis. In fact, I have read, and personally experience, that when one shares gratitude, your own happiness increases.

A Short List of Things for Which I Am Grateful

In October, I had the pleasure of being surrounded by numerous HR colleagues at the NEHRA (North East Human Resources Association) conference in beautiful Newport, Rhode Island. I was grateful to attend an in-person event, the first that I had decided to engage in since pre-pandemic times! And I was grateful to be able to put attention on, and show my gratitude to colleagues, HR professionals, who have worked non-stop, and often to the point of exhaustion, to handle so much change throughout the pandemic. And I was delighted to see so many HR professionals taking the time to invest in their own growth, development, and time out of the workplace.

I’m grateful for my clients. Those with whom I work one-on-one in a coaching engagement as well as the companies who bring me in to work with individuals or their teams through team coaching, workshops, or retreats.

I’m grateful for the individuals who appreciate my capabilities and refer me to those who they feel would benefit from learning about me and working with me.

I’m grateful for the work I get to do each and every day; the work that I was truly meant to do in my lifetime; the work that ignites my passion!

I’m grateful for my family! Though the pandemic and distance kept me from seeing my grown children as often as I normally would have, the love and connection are still strong. And the moments we have been able to be physically together have been an incredible gift – including this week when I had a visit from my oldest son and his girlfriend. And I’m looking forward to seeing more family members in person in the coming months.

I’m grateful for the many things that most of us simply take for granted – things that others may be struggling to have.

What are you grateful for?

How might you share your gratitude with others?

This is a great time of year to gather colleagues together to reflect and give thanks. I’ve led some of these events recently and I’d be happy to work with others interested in creating a fun event to share gratitude. Interested in learning more? Let’s connect.

“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” – William Arthur Ward