As our Thanksgiving holiday here in the US is around the corner (November 27th) and our Canadian friends have already celebrated their Thanksgiving (October 13th), I am reminded to think about Being Grateful. We are all so busy with this wonderful adventure called life. It is easy to just keep going day in and day out without taking the time to simply think about what we are grateful for in our daily lives.
I was recently challenged by one of my mentors, Chris Osborn, CEO of Coach Training Alliance, to answer the questions:
- How does gratitude manifest itself in your life?
- What is the role of gratitude in coaching?
As I thought about my response to these questions, the Cornucopia popped into my mind and I found a great history of the Cornucopia dating back to 15 BC. Check it out!
Gratitude manifests in my life through so many ways
I see gratitude on many levels:
- Basic Gratitude: So grateful for a roof over my head, food on the table and “safe” place to live, where I am free to go for a walk in solitude and peace.
- Physical Gratitude: For the life I have lived so far with a healthy body and mind. (well most times a healthy mind! LOL)
- Mental Gratitude: For the ability to do the work I do with passion and success.
- Spiritual Gratitude: This journey has been my most challenging after the loss of my son, Matthew. I continually challenge myself to know this is part of my life’s journey and use that grief and pain to serve others through the Eye of the Storm presentations to young adults. I hope that when they hear Matthew’s story, they think before jumping in with the “group” and experimenting with prescription drugs. They think about the value of life and those who care about them. They think about their options and ability to say “no”! They think about their future… and choose a different path.
- Support Gratitude: For the incredible people in my life, who I know I can call on at anytime for personal and professional growth/support and who have some of the most amazing minds on the planet to tap into. And of course, my amazing Gary, who has supported me through all of my different journeys personally and professionally. And for Matthew, for being my greatest teacher of all in this journey called life; he has taught me gratitude for all those special moments we had together, the gifts he shared with me, the amazing soul he shared with so many – for that I am most grateful.
The role of gratitude in coaching
I am continually amazed and grateful for all the wonderful people I have met through coaching: the CTA members; Will Craig, who originally connected me to coaching; and Chris and Holly Osborn, who have kept me connected to coaching and the importance of this skill in everyday life both personally and professionally. The opportunities I have as a mentor coach where I am not only the teacher, but at the same time, the student. I learn just as much from the students/clients that I work with on a daily basis! The fantastic human beings that I have met through teaching coaching at CTA and my clients over the years, who continually show up and truly want to learn this awesome tool that is a gift to better communication with every human being, regardless of background, education, or position. I am so grateful for coaching because my conversations with everyone I communicate with are deeper, have more meaning, and those people truly feel cared for and valued as human beings because of the tools of coaching.
Challenge
I challenge you to answer the following questions and make them relevant to you and your work:
- How does gratitude manifest itself in my life?
- The role of gratitude as a _______________ is: (state your profession/position/role, for example: my role as the CEO, CFO, COO, parent, manager, supervisor, brother/sister, salesperson, administrator, etc.)
Take a few minutes and answer these questions. This exercise might just lead you to having some “grateful” and meaningful conversations with the people you care about: your family members, co-workers, colleagues, and friends.