The Power of Saying Thanks
I love Thanksgiving, and I hope you had a great one.
There you go. That’s the newsletter.
No, I kid. I kid.
A Simple Family Habit That Changed Everything
For the last few months, every night at dinner, my family shares three things we are grateful for and one thing we could have done better that day.
And look, my wife and I are close. Living in a 700 square foot apartment while dating and then spending 13 months in a Jeep Cherokee will do that. But I have never felt closer to my son than during this time.
It is wild to hear what a four and a half year old is grateful for or what he thinks he could have done better. He is usually grateful for snacks, toys, or trips to children’s museums. He also usually admits he could have listened better.
Now that we are home, I want to make sure we do not lose this habit.
Because if we are honest, we rarely take time to intentionally think positive thoughts like this.
What We Rarely Stop to Appreciate
We do not get out of the car after a long drive and feel grateful that we arrived safely without traffic.
We do not send a thank you card to the car dealership for finishing an oil change within the promised time window.
We do not usually call a friend just to check in and tell them we are proud of them, in a non patronizing way.
Thanksgiving is often the only time we really focus on gratitude. While that is normal, I do not think we should wait all year to give thanks.
Gratitude Changes How Life Feels
There was a judge I appeared before as an ASA who had a great quote:
“Life is a grindstone, but whether it polishes you up or grinds you down is up to you.”
A little gratitude, appreciation, and celebration of small wins can go a very long way.
In Tiny Habits, BJ Fogg explains that celebration helps lock in habits.
In Atlas of the Heart, Brene Brown explores how emotions truly work and how deeply they impact us.
In The Go Giver, and really anything Bob Burg writes, he explains how much more we receive when we give genuine appreciation.
And in this weekly newsletter, Jordan Ostroff will tell you that life is a lot more fun when you stop keeping score, or when you keep score based on how much you can do for others.
A Simple Thank You
So let me start here.
Thank you.
Thank you for reading this.
Thank you for connecting with me.
Thank you for being the kind of firm owner who actually cares about clients and is always trying to get better for them.
You rock.
The honest and helpful feedback I get from these newsletters truly makes me look forward to writing them each week. I have no one to thank for that but you.
One Small Ask
So here is my ask.
Buy our four million dollar package discounted to ninety seven dollars for Black Friday.
Kidding again.
But seriously, take a few minutes to thank the people who deserve your appreciation.
Whether it leads to more business, stronger relationships, or nothing at all beyond doing the right thing, it will make you happier.