By Rebecca Rodskog, Rodskog Change Consulting
Today I tried an exercise.  I consciously recognized every gesture that was done for me – whether slight or significant – with a “thank you.”  I made sure that my “thank you” was heard by making eye contact with the receiver.  It started in the morning with my husband, who was helping me get out the door for a day of coaching at Columbia University.  It continued with my son who gave me a kiss and a smile when he got up.  Then there was my nanny who gave me her Metrocard to use for the day. Then there was the guy who opened the door for me.  The woman who moved over slightly on the subway so I could sit.  The guy who vacated the room I needed for my meeting.  The woman who sold me my sandwich…

The thing is, when you do something like this, you go into it thinking you’re doing it for THEM.  It’s nice to recognize when people do something, and by thanking them you’re hopefully making them feel good, right?  But what REALLY happens is YOU end up feeling good.  By thanking everyone that does any little thing for you, you can’t help but reveal the abundance of wonderful things and people in your life, even on a seemingly ordinary day.  I did not go more than 30 minutes without having someone to thank for something.  That means I thanked (at a minimum) around 20 people.  Which means I had at least 20 things to be grateful for!  Wow.

But that’s not it.  The power of gratitude isn’t just a feel-good exercise.  It’s about energy and attraction.  By being grateful for the things that you have in your life, you put out a beacon of attraction.  Your ability to focus on the good directly affects your ability to attract MORE of it.  

Gratitude:  The most potent tenet of all.
The last few months I’ve been talking about the 5 tools for successful growth.  Now I’m turning our attention to the 5 tenets that go hand in hand with those tools:  Gratitude, Love, Forgiveness, Communication, and Integrity.  Gratitude is the first of those tenets, and potentially the most powerful.  

We all know that like attracts like – when you’re in a bad mood, bad things continue to happen, and everyone else seems to be in a bad mood as well.  When you’re in a good mood, good things happen, and people are drawn to you.  Being in a state of gratitude creates a positive force that attracts positive things.  Being thankful isn’t just being nice; it’s your key to success.  

Gratitude:  Easy ways to be thankful and attract more of the same!
1.    Start the day by saying “thank you” in the first moments of getting up.  Rhonda Byrne, the author of ‘The Secret’, says when she gets out of bed, she says “Thank” when her one foot hits the floor and “You” when the other does.
2.    Spend five minutes of each day writing down a list of things you’re grateful for that day.  This is a great reflection exercise for the end of the day, or a great way to get you in a gratitude mood at the beginning of the day.
3.    Spend one entire day consciously thanking every single person for every single thing they do for you, big or small.  Make sure the person hears you by making eye contact with them when you thank them.  
4.    Keep a gratitude journal – write in it any time you are struck with gratitude.  Then on days when you’re having a hard time, you can pull it out and remember everything you are grateful for.
5.    Start a gratitude circle.  Email some friends, and start a chain of emails that list the things you are grateful for, and have them do the same.  
6.    Use gratitude as a focus for meditation or prayer.  Find a quiet place and focus on all of the wonderful things you are grateful for.
7.    Write a letter to yourself (or be bold and write it to your loved ones) detailing out the things you are grateful for this year.  
8.    Start meetings, workshops, even dinner, etc. with a gratitude moment.  I usually keep this really simple by just listing one thing I’m grateful for in that moment.  (“I am grateful for the chocolate chip cookie we are having for dessert!”)
9.    Start all your goals with the statement “I am grateful that I now have…” which will put you in a state of gratitude an assumption that you have already achieved your goal!

THANK YOU for reading, being you, and being a mom.  

Next Month:  Love:   What’s it all for if it isn’t for love?

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Email: heather@thewellmom.com


Rebecca Rodskog is an NYC based personal life coach, change management consultant, actress and mom.  She has worked with corporations and individuals for over 15 years helping them grow through change in the workplace and at home.  For more information, check out www.rodskog.com.