Or praise whatever name you give to your higher power. I grew up singing the hymn Praise God with my family, holding hands with my parents and six siblings at the kitchen table at dinner. We carry this custom forward at all family gatherings, where the circle of gratitude can include the 50+ descendants of Jack and Della Lee, my mom and dad.

I was privileged to be raised by those two loving and powerful parents and am even more fortunate to have them with me still this Thanksgiving. My cup “runneth over” with blessings and that’s the subject of this week’s blog and the upcoming holiday, too: Noticing and giving gratitude for our multiple blessings, big and small.

At ConvergenceCoaching, we encourage a regular gratitude practice where we give daily thanks for three specific things that we are grateful for that day. They can be expansive, like the beauty of the forest, or they can be tiny, like the spiciness of a jalapeño pepper. When we stop and center around the things that are good in our lives, it gives us a broader perspective, it increases our optimism, it releases negative emotions and leads to a happier, more grateful life.

Last night, my partner Tamera and I created a list of all the things we’re grateful for in our HR Huddle live stream. She and I took turns listing the things we were grateful for in that moment and our list produced the word cloud that accompanies this post. We stopped at the appointed end time and we still were not yet finished with our lists. We were present to a LOT of blessings! And today, I feel like I can handle challenges and issues with much more poise and confidence because I’m standing on the foundation of my blessings.

In the 7 Days of Gratitude meditation practice on Calm, Emily Brantz and I meditated and practiced gratitude this morning. It was so calming and affirming. In the lead in, the guide said that gratitude can be a superpower. I genuinely believe that gratitude is a superpower and it’s a distinguishing factor in producing inspiration and motivation within ourselves and within others, too.

What are you grateful for today?

Think about making a list like Tamera and I did last night sometime this holiday weekend. Make it a game or contest to see who runs out of ideas first. Write down the ideas so you can re-read them again later. Then, consider making a gratitude practice a regular part of your daily or weekly routine.

We are so grateful to you, for your support of our mission at ConvergenceCoaching and for the role you’re playing in making the world a better place. We look forward to our continued learning and growth because of our friendship and work with you.

Gratefully,