How to: Find Gratitude in the Workplace

Tis the season of giving thanks! At TalentFund, gratitude is an important part of our business and culture. We also believe that a little bit of thanks goes a very long way. On the heels of Thanksgiving, we want to challenge each of you, and share how we recommend finding and sharing gratitude at your work.

The average person will spend approximately 90,000 hours of your life at work. That’s over 10 years of your life! Being such a substantial amount of time, we recognize how important it is to find joy in what you are doing. Not only will it help you, but it may just help others as well.

Our recommendation is more of a personal challenge to you. We challenge you to sit down and write out a list of everything you are thankful for in your work. Big, small, current or maybe past, leave no stone unturned for what you can appreciate and enjoy about the work you do, the people you do it with and the opportunities it provides or has provided to you. Aim for a list of 25, and then push for 40 or 50, maybe you can find 100 things by the end of it. Regardless of the number, just write them out.

Then, take a step back and look at the list you just compiled. We bet you will be surprised by all of the incredible things around you, accomplishments you’ve made, connections you’ve developed or growth you’ve experienced as an individual or a team.

If you are feeling inspired by your list, take it one step further and share your gratitude with the people who have had the biggest influence on in the last year. Help them see the impact they made and spread the joy you found in reflecting on the good. Even more, maybe you then challenge them to pay it forward and write out their own list to then share gratitude to their biggest contributors!

It could be considered a basic human truth, that positivity and gratitude are contagious emotions. Seeking joy and positivity on a daily basis helps us focus on the good rather than allowing ourselves to stew on the not-so-good. As we continue into the holiday season, reflecting on the year behind us, let’s push each other to find the good and ignite the sentiment of gratitude throughout our professional networks.