“That troublesome client—thank you, it’s helping me develop better boundaries. That traffic jam—thank you, it gave me time to call my wife and have a nice, meandering conversation. That rejection email—thank you, it forced me to reevaluate and improve my work. The political realities of our time–thank you, it’s a chance to test myself, to really stick to what I believe in. That loss—thank you, for reminding me of what truly matters in life.”
Ryan Holiday
“What do we say when a customer or colleague says, ‘thank you’? For a long time, it was ‘you’re welcome.’ This indicates that you put in some effort and you’re willing to do it again on request. Recently ‘no problem’ has become more common. This implies that the effort could have been a huge hassle, but this time, it was okay. For people who are choosing to do the work of hospitality and connection, though, the most accurate answer might be, ‘my pleasure.’ After all, you had a choice, and you chose to do this work precisely so that it could have an impact on someone else. The story we tell ourselves about the work can be fuel for finding ways to do it better. If it’s not a pleasure, and you’re doing things like this all day, it might be a good time to find something else to do.”
Seth Godin
“We can never handwrite the same message twice. Every crease and every accidental fold of paper serves as the most unique canvas for our words. The ink filling our inscriptions will never behave exactly the same way in a single letter written twice. The way we hold our pen may change, even if ever so slightly, from one word to the next. Each and every squiggly line is one of a kind and our longhand note may never really be replicated. This unwritten poetry that resides between the lines of our messages enhances our gift of words. If we want to make someone feel special, is there a better way than to offer them something only they will ever have?”
Kinga Lewandowska, Intelligent Change Blog
Leonard Nimoy Quote on Sharing and the Miracle of Thanks∙Giving
“The miracle is this: the more we share the more we have.”
Leonard Nimoy
Beyond the Quote (328/365)
Happy Thanks∙Giving. One of my favorite holidays where we give∙thanks. When you look closely at the name you’ll notice an important observation about thanks—it must be given. And from what I’ve learned about gratitude, I’d even go so far as to say that thanks is only real when it’s given. Thanks is not something that can be taken, nor is it something that can be arbitrarily absorbed. It isn’t something that manifests itself when we go through the motions of a feast or a gathering. And it isn’t something you just walk into. Thanks is something that must come through you.
Read More »Leonard Nimoy Quote on Sharing and the Miracle of Thanks∙GivingJohn Leland Quote on Happiness and How Gratitude is the Key That Unlocks the Door
“Some people are grateful seemingly as their default state, even when no one’s looking. Their lives aren’t necessarily better than other people’s, but they find more reasons to give thanks for their small rewards. Fred Jones was one of those people. Giving thanks made him happy, which made him grateful, which made him happy.”
John Leland, Happiness is a Choice You Make (Page 119)
Beyond the Quote (221/365)
Maybe you know one of those people too? A person who seems to be grateful by default and is seemingly more happy as a result. Or maybe it’s that they’re more happy by default so they express more gratitude? Does it matter which one it is? Does one cause the other or are they both inextricably linked? …I believe that it does matter and understanding this catch-22 will help you understand how to be more like the Fred Jones’ of the world. Let’s take a closer look.
Read More »John Leland Quote on Happiness and How Gratitude is the Key That Unlocks the DoorHow To Write a Gratitude Letter — And Why Doing So Can Be So Impactful
Excerpt: Writing a Gratitude Letter is one of those small actions that can have a huge impact on a person—never underestimate its power. Good luck!
Read More »How To Write a Gratitude Letter — And Why Doing So Can Be So Impactful
“Thanks are the highest form of thought, and… gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.” ~ G. K. Chesterton, via Happiness is a Choice You Make (Page 118)
“When you suffer, you can look deeply at your situation and find the many blessings that are already surrounding you. It is wonderful to sit with a pen and paper and write down all the conditions for happiness that are already there, already available to you right in this moment.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh, Savor