Hello, Noble Ones! Thank you for being here. We are thrilled to launch “Noble Insights,” a monthly blog series dedicated to what we do best – developing leaders, strengthening organizational cultures and building high performing teams.
We begin this series by exploring the practice of gratitude, something that is foundational to the best leaders, cultures and teams, including all of us at Noble Hill. Gratitude is central to everything we do and continues to positively impact our lives, and the lives of our clients, professionally and personally.
At Noble Hill, our goal is to equip our clients with tools to thrive and gratitude is one of those skills. Understandably, some people are skeptical about practicing gratitude because it can be perceived as weak or soft. However, as we explore the intersections of gratitude and personal development, we hope to persuade you that practicing gratitude isn’t a sign of vulnerability.
Rather, when practiced consistently, gratitude serves as a foundation for building resilience, fostering a growth mindset, and enhancing overall well-being – a testament to one’s capacity for personal growth and empowerment.
What is Gratitude?
The word gratitude is derived from the Latin word, gratia, which means grace, graciousness or gratefulness. It is defined as “the quality or feeling of being grateful or thankful” – the expression of that gratitude in word or deed.
Research indicates significant benefits of gratitude. Practicing gratitude improves health, boosts energy levels, fosters optimism, and promotes empathy. A review of 70 studies shows an association between higher levels of gratitude and lower levels of depression. A 2021 review of research also finds that keeping a gratitude journal can cause a significant drop in diastolic blood pressure – the force your heart exerts between beats.
There’s also research suggesting that individuals who make gratitude a consistent habit tend to adopt healthy routines in other areas of their lives – and this has been true for me. Those with gratitude habits experience improved sleep, follow a better diet, and engage in regular exercise – all of which impact how we show up at work and at home.
Practicing Gratitude
When it comes to gratitude, we encourage clients to start small and be intentional about practicing gratitude daily. My routine isn’t complex, but I am consistent, which has helped me make gratitude a healthy habit.
Gratitude List
I begin every day with gratitude. Each morning, while I’m having breakfast, I make a list of five things for which I’m grateful. That’s it. Just five. Even with this short list, the exercise invites me to start my day with a mindset of abundance and appreciation, while mitigating stress and self-limiting beliefs and providing a sense of calm and focus
Gratitude Journal
I also end the day with gratitude. Lacey (my wife and business partner) and I journal together, guided by a prompt, every evening. The prompts are simple. For example, “Who did you help today?” “Who was kind to you today?” “What did you learn today that can help you tomorrow?” While the prompts are not explicitly about gratitude, the responses to the prompts always are.
Writing, reflecting and sharing has become a meaningful exercise for us as a couple – allowing us to “quiet the chatter” after a full work day and set the stage, positively, for what’s ahead.
Yoga
The practice of gratitude has deep roots in yoga. Twice a week (beginning and mid-week), You can find Lacey and me in a yoga class, which has been beneficial for our physical well-being and our mental health. In yoga, we are taught to focus on breath, mindfulness and presence. Similarly, gratitude requires presence, as we reflect on and appreciate the current moment and the positive aspects of our lives. Interestingly, in yoga we often start or end our yoga practice with a moment of gratitude, which complements our overall sense of balance and happiness.
The Importance of Gratitude In The Workplace
In our work with clients, the driving force is growth. As such, gratitude naturally weaves its way into our coaching sessions. It may not be explicit like, “Let’s start or wrap up this session with gratitude.” But gratitude is always there, at the forefront of our approach. Our coaching model is strengths-based and we look for opportunities to acknowledge our clients’ progress, even if progress is a stepping stone toward their ultimate goals.
A similar concept is the idea of growth mindset, credited to Carol Dweck, an American psychologist who has extensively written about growth mindset. She paints it as a dichotomy – a person can possess a growth mindset and actively practice it, even though humans are much more complex. Dweck defines growth mindset as being open and eager and viewing challenges not as threats to one’s ego. On the flip side is the fixed mindset, where individuals become entrenched, fixated on tying their ego and confidence to a particular trait. (Hear Carol Dweck speak on The Power of Believing That You Can Improve and Developing a Growth Mindset)
Through assessments or coaching, we pinpoint situations of self-imposed limitations. As humans, we’re not strictly fixed or growth-oriented; we usually blend a bit of both. Certain contexts can trigger either a growth mindset – where we’re motivated and enthusiastic, ready to tackle challenges head-on even if mistakes happen because we know we’ll improve over time – or a fixed mindset. Naturally, gratitude aligns more with the growth mindset. A growth mindset says, “If things don’t go perfectly, I have faith, trust, and confidence that I can overcome this obstacle and learn from it.”
Small Changes for a More Grateful Life
Gratitude isn’t just a buzzword – it’s a tangible force that drives success, both personally and professionally. Incorporating gratitude into your routine, and workplace, can impact the bottom line by building resilience, fostering a growth mindset and enhancing overall well-being.
Ready to start practicing gratitude? Remember, start small. Consider taking just a minute, right now, to jot down what you are grateful for today. Then try doing it again tomorrow. And if you have questions about gratitude and how to incorporate it into your life or with your teams, I’m always here to chat. Reach out to me at mark@noblehillconsulting.com or give me a call at 330-554-1461.