2015 will be a year of giving personal thanks.
I’ve been wondering what I should choose for a new year’s resolution when circumstances this morning reminded me of the power of a handwritten note.
One thing I miss from corporate life is the ability to celebrate the achievements of others. Networks today offer connection and the opportunity for joint celebration, but I have not taken up the opportunities to make thanks quite as personal. The personal is required in a world where there are IFTTT recipes to auto congratulate people on new roles posted on Linkedin.
I know the power of giving and receiving thanks and recognition. I was enormously flattered recently when John Stepper mentioned me in his #thankyouthursday efforts. A gesture of recognition can be all it takes to change a mood, sustain people in their work and to help achieve higher performance.
Giving thanks takes nothing but gives a lot. Importantly, gratitude is a mindset that needs to be contagious in a time of generosity and abundance. Consistency of giving thanks is important to broaden the experience of recognition and to sustain a mindset of thankfulness
This year I am going to write a note of thanks or recognition each week. That ensures at least 52 moments of gratitude. Most importantly it will create a new habit for me to look out more keenly for those people that I can celebrate.
PS. Thanks to John Stepper, Tom Amos and Aaron Dignan for inspiring this resolution.