By Neil Phillips.
This is the time of year when you read a lot about finding your sources of gratitude and expressing an attitude of gratitude throughout the season. After you read 6 or 7 of these, they seem squishy. Squishy like a stress ball. Squishy in the way that they have a sense of insincerity or are over ingratiating. While they may have the best intentions, they start to sound like self-satisfying over-the-top displays. Here are two fundamental, self-focused reasons for being grateful.
First, people who are grateful live longer. People who work on being grateful have less stress, eat better, sleep better, and live longer. They have lower blood pressure and less stress hormones. Michael Hyatt has a great article about it.
Second, expressing gratitude has a return on investment. You don’t express gratitude because it pays. If anything, you express gratitude because you feel you’ve already been paid. However, the rules of reciprocation come into play as soon as you get started. Robert Cialdini in his book, Influence, calls the rule “overpowering.” Try a little experiment: go up to a casual acquaintance, reach out and shake their hand, and thank them for being there. The instant response is your pay-off. Bake some cookies for a neighbor. See what you get in return. This may sound very calculating and Scrooge-like, but gratitude does pay back well.
We appreciate you giving us your time. Our goal is to make it worth the investment.
Enjoy your holiday. And if you can find the time to be grateful, that sense of thankfulness will all pay off in the end.
Are You Squishy or NonSquishy?
Dana and I appreciate you, whether you are soft and springy or hard as nails. We love sharing our sandbox with all of you and are thankful for the joy and energy you bring.
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