The Simple Act of being Grateful

Last Thursday, we had International Speaker & Director of Nigerian-Bollywood Netflix Hit, Namaste Wahala talk to us on our free Instagram LIVE Webinar on the topic:

How to Use Positive Affirmations, Positive Thinking & Gratitude to Achieve Defined Goals

We are one work-week into 2022 already! One of the things business owners must be watchful of is the ability to fall into a place of unthankfulness.

Perhaps you didn’t achieve your set goals for 2021 or it’s barely a few days into 2022 and #dettydecember got you so bad, you are feeling frustrated by the pinch of an empty bank account.

Now is the time to get into the right mind frame of being positive and thankful that you at least had money to spend and why gratitude is so important for your business.

Like we said last week, gratitude is a positive emotion that involves being thankful and appreciative. It stems from recognizing that something good happened to you.

Worrying never solved anyone’s problems. Rather, it amplifies it. Gratitude on the other hand works the exact opposite.

Expressing gratitude has been scientifically proven to have several mental and physical health benefits.

• It gives you clarity on what worked.
• Clarity leads to Inspiration.
• Inspiration leads to motivation.
• Motivation gets your creative juices flowing and when that happens,
• you are better positioned to reach your goals.

It’s like a domino effect. When your creative juices starts flowing, it increases your productivity, fosters teamwork (If you have a team you are working with), enhances empathy and reduces aggression.

Gratitude also helps improve your self-esteem which naturally also translates into your business.

How to be Grateful

Life is tough yes but instead of murmuring and grumbling, why not practice gratitude? There is so much to be thankful for.

• Be thankful for that business plan you had but haven’t yet executed.
• Be thankful for the fact that even if you don’t have a business plan, you know you need one.
• Be thankful that 1 person who didn’t know you bought your product, even if it is just 1.
• Rather than being sad only 1 person bought from you, be thankful that it, in fact means someone out there likes your product. That is your proof of concept right there. Then you can double up your effort to find more people.
• Be thankful for that repeat customer even if they aren’t yet as many as you want.
• Be thankful for that knowledge you acquired for your business over the holidays.
• Be thankful you are still in business.
• Be thankful for that repeat customer even if they aren’t yet as many as you want.
• Be thankful for that knowledge you acquired for your business over the holidays.
• Be thankful you are still in business.

How to practise gratitude in the workplace

With Customers:

Thanking your customers for patronizing you in the past year is an amazing way to bring in repeat business. However, it should not be done with the intention to get new business or from a transactionary perspective.

You can send out a free gift that won’t cost you much or a broadcast or email message to your core customers to show appreciation. I’ve already created mine to customers on my mailing list and plan to send it out this week.

With Employees:

Thank your collaborators and employees (if you have any) for giving their best to their work despite challenges in the new year.  Simply calling each one to say thank you. Or having a group meeting specifically to thank them at the end of the week.

Or maybe ordering a meal to celebrate the new year or even a bonus at the end of the month if you can afford it.

With Employees:

In fact this is the most important. You have to also appreciate yourself and your efforts to motivate you to do better. It goes beyond self-praise. Treat yourself to a nice meal. Buy yourself something you always wanted. You also deserve to be appreciated for all your work. Without you, all else will crumble.

It might be tough to always be grateful but like we said in the Live, at the end of every day or every week, take stock of 3 things you are grateful for and start the new week with what you hope to achieve and be grateful for. Whether we like to admit it or not, everyone has something to be thankful for.

So dear business owner, recognize that something good has happened to you. Recognize that even in the little steps, you have made progress.

Spend a few moments, think about the happenings in your life and your business. If you're struggling with how to start this practice, these free worksheets will help you. Simply download them and start to put them to work asap!

I guarantee you, your mindset will change for the better and you will begin to attract positivity into your life. Is is simply the law of attraction at work!

So... quick exercise. Think of one thing you are grateful for and let us know in the comments below what you are grateful for.

I’ll start with mine in the comment section.

PS:

If you missed the Instagram LIVE Webinar with Hamisha, you can check it out again at this link.

We wrapped up 2021 in style and we are already on Day 4 in 2022! Welcome to the first working day of the year - even though the day is spent already and we are hitting Day 5 already! The year is already going at whirlwind pace!

For me, this year is all about affirmations and self-proclamations!

As I checked out the 2021 Macy's Christmas windows at Herald Square, I was struck by the overwhelming theme of 2021's Christmas windows. It was all about self proclamations and self-belief!

Others the window with the bear had:

‘You can do it! You are great!’

Which is why for me, 2022 is not about resolutions but about changing mindsets. Self belief is the greatest of it all! Whatever you want to achieve in 2022, believe you can do it!

Of course, I know this is not all up to me. Which is why I made this my affirmation for 2022 and beyond.

So for me, I have it all laid out using Bible verses.

- Map out the vision clearly as stated in Habakkuk 2:2:

Then the Lord answered me and said:

“Write the vision
And make it plain on tablets,
That he may run who reads it.

- Write out the action steps using the 8 pillars we learnt yesterday from our final speaker for 2021, Karishma Chugani, an Integrated Health & Nutrition Expert. If you missed it, you can watch the rerun here.

- Stamp it with self affirmation with Philippians 4:13 backing it with prayers.

- Continue to hold on to the faith as written in Hebrews 11.1:

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Continue to believe till it happens. Just as it says in this Macy's 2021 Chrismas window display.

May 2022 hold the promise we all wish for. Have a fantastic year ahead!

PS. We have great things in store for you in 2022 so watch this space!

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