As we come to the close of 2019, I wanted to take a moment to thank each and every one of you for making a difference in my life over the course of the year. What started out as a little project to get my mindset to a better place during some challenges at work and dealing with the passing of my father, has turned into a new way of life and a new perspective. While the The Gratitude Spark initially was an attempt a personal mindset shift it has turned into something so much more than that and has given me countless blessings along the way.
Most importantly, The Gratitude Spark has given me opportunities – opportunities that I wouldn’t have had otherwise. Opportunities to think about life differently, opportunities to dig deeper into what really matters in life, opportunities to change the way I live my life. However, the thing for which I am most grateful for that The Gratitude Spark has provided is … YOU … all of you amazing and beautiful people that are on this journey of goodness with me. The opportunity to connect with so many incredible, like-minded people has truly changed my life. This project has led me to relationships that would have never materialized without it. It has led me to meaningful connections with complete strangers. It has led me to seeing new perspectives that others in the community have shared – perspectives that have impacted me greatly and have changed the course of my life.
While our community continues to grow in size and the engagement is continually increasing, it is the connections that make this concept so special. It is our collective and our desire to live life through the lens of gratitude that will lead to amazing things over the course of 2020 and beyond. I truly can’t wait to see what this amazing group of people can do for our world over the next year!
With that – The Gratitude Spark is planning some fun things in 2020. Opportunities for more “real” connection and for creating change – personally and in our communities, both locally and globally. Keep an eye out for:
“Spark Sessions” – opportunities for locals to meet, share stories of gratitude and to create real social change in their communities.
“The Gratitude Spark Podcast” – gonna give this a shot…we’ll see what happens!
“A Year of Gratitude” – a book that will come out toward the end of the year reviewing the collective gratitude and its impact from The Gratitude Spark community. Stay tuned…you’ll hear more about this … TOMORROW!!! 🙂
“Gratitude Spark Gear” – t-shirts, hats, mugs, candles, etc. to share the awesomeness of our community with the rest of the world – the best part…a portion of the proceeds will go to awesome social impact opportunities.
…and more
I’ve said it before, but, have to say it again. I’m truly honored and grateful to be on this journey with all of you. The impact we made in a few short months in 2019 was incredible. I can’t wait to see the positive changes we make in our world over the course of 2020 – together, as a community of “Gratitude Sparkers”.
YES!!! Here we are once again. The Christmas season is upon us and oh what a joy it is!!! Excitement fills the air. Christmas music can be heard around every corner. The children are bursting with anticipation. But, amid all of the beauty that the Christmas season brings, our days often seem to be filled with stress and anxiety. The hustle and bustle of preparations, the chaos of endless crowds, the search for the “perfect” gifts for our loved ones…whether that’s the newest video game, the coolest new electronic gadget or the most unique kitchen appliance. All too often, we seem to be focused on the “thing” that will bring joy to our friends and family. Perhaps this year, we might consider giving a gift that doesn’t require battling crowds to purchase, one that doesn’t need to be wrapped, one that doesn’t even cost a penny. I know, you’re wondering what is this magical gift? Well, it’s a game-changing gift and one that will bring joy to all it touches – it’s the gift of gratitude.
Gratitude? Isn’t gratitude that nebulous word that is only about saying “thank you” when someone does something nice for you? This couldn’t be further from the truth. Gratitude is a literal game changer in life. It’s like a hidden superpower. It has the ability to transform our life, and the lives of those around us, in ways that are sometimes hard to believe. So how do we find and share this wonderful gift of gratitude? As David Steindl-Rast suggests, it might be as simple as the actions we are taught as a child when crossing the street – Stop. Look. Go.
STOP: In the immortal words of Ferris Bueller – “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in awhile, you could miss it”. This is especially true during the weeks leading up to Christmas. Life seems to move incredibly fast. We feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day for us to accomplish all of the things we “think” we need to complete. We feel like we need to run faster and faster in order for the Christmas season to be a success. But wait…perhaps what we really need to do is think back to the words of our friend Ferris “…if you don’t stop and look around, you could miss it”. During this Christmas season – don’t miss anything. Try to make an intentional effort to slow down and recognize the things in your life for which you are grateful – suspend the chaos and attend to the now. Take pause – give yourself an opportunity to notice things that you might otherwise take for granted. Said simply…live in the moment.
LOOK: Be aware of your surroundings. Instead of briskly walking down the hallway at the local mall with your head in your phone checking texts and emails – stop and look up. Greet those passing by you. Smile at them. Take the opportunity to make a difference in their day. You never know how grateful a stranger might be from the simplest of gestures…a smile. Look at the people in your life. Look at the things in your life. Notice the good actions of others. Keep your eyes open to things that are often far too easy to look overlook. Notice and appreciate the little things because those “little” things might not be so little after all.
GO: This is the key element with respect to the gift of gratitude – turning grateful thoughts and feelings into “actions”. Acting on appreciation is the the piece that has real impact on the lives of those around us. Be intentional and thank people in your life for the role they’ve played – your family, your friends, even strangers. Challenge yourself to handwrite a letter of gratitude to someone who has made an impact on your life. Go out of your way to acknowledge people that make a difference in other people’s lives. The beauty and the true power of gratitude is only realized when it is expressed toward others and when our appreciation for the beauty in our lives is shared with those around us.
So, as we navigate the hustle and bustle of the next few weeks, try to focus on your own practice and expression of gratitude. Witness the power that can come from it and the joy it can create. Remember, it’s not joyfulness that makes us grateful, it’s gratefulness that makes us joyful. It is when we leverage the power of gratitude that we will find joy in this beautiful season of Christmas.
Before we grow up and become “real adults,” those who work a 9-5 job, your “job” is to go to school. From the time we are 3 or 4 years old, playing in preschool, to college graduation or even graduate school for some, we are greatly influenced by our educational system. Education is at the very root of our society and something for which we should all be grateful. But at the root of the education system, is teachers. Teachers have an undeniably large impact on today’s youth and play a huge role in their mental, physical and emotional development. Teachers help to raise children into functioning members of society and provide them with the skills and abilities to be successful as they transition into adulthood.
Yes, teachers will teach students about english, math, science and history, but they do so much more. I’d like to highlight teachers that really teach. I am not talking about teaching the facts in subjects like english, math, science and history – but those that teach us about life. I am talking about the teachers that teach students about respect, compassion, love, honesty, and gratitude. When many “real adults” look back on their childhood and educational experience, they seldom remember the teacher that simply taught english, math, science and history. Rather, they remember the teacher that taught them to be respectful, how to show compassion, how to love others, and how to be grateful.
Personally, as a student who grew up in Chaska, Minnesota, I know I am not alone in believing that our schools had plenty of teachers who made an impact on their students. However, one that specifically sticks out to me as a teacher who really taught his students was Mr. Downs. Mr. Downs was a social science teacher at a middle school in Chaska that had a great impact on my educational experience. Filling each day with laughter and positivity, Mr. Downs fostered a classroom environment that welcomed each student and made them feel comfortable. Through his daily lessons, Mr. Downs conveyed the information needed to successfully pass his class, but he also cultivated a classroom that really focused on becoming the best version of yourself you could be. He taught that honesty is important, respect is necessary and appreciation for the little things in life is what matters. I remember Mr. Downs would play his guitar and sing Bob Dylan’s “Blowin in the Wind,” which students loved. Mr. Downs, along with so many others in the education system, is a teacher who really taught. I am sure I am not alone in my appreciation for the life lessons that Mr. Downs taught so many of us.
Who is that teacher for you? Who is that teacher that really taught? It is important to reflect on these people, because they helped us to develop into the people we are today. Likewise, it is important to recognize the impact current teachers have on today’s youth – and appreciate the life lessons they are teaching our students. Be grateful for these people. Be grateful for teachers who really teach.
An interesting thing happened to me on a recent business trip. I was working with a client and after a long day I was just hanging out in my room flipping through the channels. I came across an older movie called “Taking Chance” caught my attention.
It was about a Marine who was responsible for bringing the remains of a fellow soldier named Chance Phelps to his family in Montana. The journey of these two soldiers was nothing short of inspirational. The obvious inspiration was that Chance gave everything as he protected the country that he loved. But it was the many other things that occurred during their journey back to Montana that really hit me – the reactions, and actions, of complete strangers toward Chance and his escort. The expressions of gratitude displayed by complete strangers was incredibly inspiring. It was the gate agent that recognized the situation and upgraded the escort to first class. It was baggage handlers that grew solemn and held their caps over their hearts as the coffin was loaded and unloaded from the planes. It was the flight attendant that handed the escort a cross (which he in turn gave to Chance’s family). It was the sight of the escort sleeping in the hangar during a layover so as not to leave Chance’s side. It was the words of encouragement from the pilot – an ex-Marine himself. The happenstance convoy that was created when Chance was being driven to his hometown – a line of cars falling in behind the hearse….not passing, lights on. Each act – overflowing with gratitude – was truly inspirational.It was these simple acts of gratitude by strangers that profoundly impacted the military escort. On his way home after bringing the soldier home to his family, he wrote about his experience over the past few days. When he got home, he sent his story to a few friends, who in turn sent it to more friends. Within days it had taken root on the internet.It’s amazing to think that those people, strangers to the escort, strangers to the fallen soldier, strangers to the situation, took a small moment of their lives to show their gratitude and do something they felt necessary.
Chance’s Final Ride
Strangers impacting strangers – that’s what it’s all about. Not only did Chance inspire those along his journey home, but those individuals have inspired a multitude of others – all strangers to one another. Anyway, I’m not sure I had any intent to share this until I got on the plane for my return flight home. I opened up the flight magazine (which I rarely do), flipped through the pages and came across a short article on – guess who – Chance. I guess I saw that as a sign – so, I grabbed my laptop and started writing.
Life is a beautiful thing – full of excitement, love, pain, and constant change. Change often brings about new opportunities for us to express ourselves, assist others, and find new avenues for us to influence the world around us for the better. Recently, my family has undergone considerable change. From my departure to college three years ago, and my sister following my lead just last year, to the unfortunate passing of loved ones, we have undergone changes that will impact us for the rest of our lives. This is not unusual for families, but it always comes with a certain amount of uncertainty, that can often be scary. However, change can be beautiful, and it is something that I am grateful for.
Throughout this time of change, I have been able to step back and look at the world around me, and more specifically, the people around me. My grandmother has moved from her home of 40+ years and is meeting new people everyday in a new town. My mother has become much more involved in family life, and plays a huge role in the lives of my sister and I, maybe even more so than when we lived together, from 300-some miles away. It has been especially fun to watch my dad change throughout these past couple of years. Recently, he has started to focus on gratitude, using it as a lens through which to examine the world around him and his experiences everyday. Countless times, he has mentioned to me the things he is grateful for – my mother, his family, sunrises and sunsets, a good book and a cup of chai tea on a cold morning. After focusing on gratitude for some time, he had the idea to start a community centered around gratitude – a place for people to share what they are grateful for, and use it as a means for people to take a step back from our busy lives, and notice the things in life that are beautiful. Hence, begins The Gratitude Spark.
My dad started The Gratitude Spark as a way for people to connect and share things that they are grateful for. He hopes that through this focus on gratitude, people will change the way they look at the world. To find the beauty in everyday life, rather than to focus on the pain and negative experiences many of us have. This shift in focus can be incredibly powerful. It is so exciting to see people’s perspectives change after developing a focus on gratitude.
This community is in its infant stages and it is so exciting to see how this group will progress and change as it grows. And I hope that this mindset change can change our communities for the better. If we work together, we can make our families stronger, our workplaces happier, and the lives of others better by focusing on this little thing called gratitude. So, invite your friends, family members and acquaintances to embark on this mindset change with you. Tell them about the impact of focusing on one beautiful thing everyday can have. Let’s see where this takes us!
