Shortly before Thanksgiving, I reached out to some friends and colleagues to ask about plans for the holiday and to wish them well. A few conversations were especially memorable. One friend who moved away from New York last year for a job opportunity and to be closer to family mentioned that he had a heavy work load and was struggling to keep up. But he quickly added that his wife was enjoying her job and that his son, who has had some health issues in the past year, was doing very well. (When we first met, he was also dealing with a difficult work situation, yet he was still upbeat and was very interested in hearing about my job and personal life.) Another former co-worker told me that her husband’s job was now more secure after many months of uncertainty and that another family member had recently found a good position.
Many of us have been affected by the recession, either by losing a position that we thought was secure or by staying in a bad work situation for fear of not being able to find something else. For most of us, work will be challenging at times as our organizations deal with limited resources and competing priorities. Sometimes self-employment is a viable option, but that also can be stressful, especially during the early stages of building a business. Thankfully, the recession seems to be easing, so the worst may be behind us.
As we pause for Thanksgiving, let’s follow the example of my friends who have chosen to focus on what’s good in their lives. Appreciate being in good health; be thankful for having people in your life who love you. If you’re working, be grateful; if you’re in transition, stay positive and look forward to your next opportunity, even if it’s not the ideal position you’ve hoped for (it may be a stepping stone to getting there). It’s not what happens in your life, it’s your attitude that makes the difference.
While spending time with family and friends over the holiday weekend, don’t complain, criticize or gossip about others. Instead, help make it a Complaint-Free World by focusing on what is good.
This post was created as part of a global groundswell of gratitude called TweetsGiving. The celebration, created by US nonprofit Epic Change, is an experiment in social innovation that seeks to change the world through the power of gratitude. I hope you’ll visit TweetsGiving to learn more, and to bring your grateful heart to the party by sharing your gratitude, and giving in honor of that for which you’re most thankful.
