Make Waves with Gratitude

What do you think of waves?

Do waves remind you of a sun-soaked beach? Or an unforgiving storm?

Do you picture sound waves radiating from the clash of cymbals? Or the fans of your favorite sports team throwing their hands in the air?

Whether gentle or threatening, visible or invisible – all waves have a beginning. They originate with a movement, an action, an impulse.

My team and I believe that people create waves, too. To us, that means our words and actions send ripples rolling in every direction, growing into waves large and small. The kind of waves we create depends on the kinds of words and actions we choose. (Have you thought about what kind of waves you make? At work? At home? At the DMV?)

We love that analogy so much, you’ll find “waves” in the visual identity of our business.

This belief about people has led us to focus on something guaranteed to make waves: Gratitude.

The Impact of Gratitude

When we express gratitude, we create waves that influence and benefit everyone around us, including ourselves.

The benefits of gratitude… good mental and physical health, better relationships, resilience in dealing with adversity, greater self-esteem and even better sleep. More here.

There’s a belief we have about gratitude that I want to share with you: “Gratitude allows an individual to create and discover unlimited meaning and value in every situation and relationship in life.”

What kind of waves are you making?

The Contentment Ethic

Grateful expression is a simple way to know you’re doing something to benefit yourself and others. That’s what makes it part of a critical skillset for modern leaders, and the first step in building your “Contentment Ethic.”

A Contentment Ethic is what enables a leader to weather any storm with calm, resourceful confidence, regardless of the difficult waves they face.

Read more about Contentment and take The Contentment Survey. Then go make waves, starting with gratitude.

Express Gratitude

Questions for a leader learning to express gratitude:

• How can I express my appreciation to the people that I work with?
• How can I tell people specifically how their actions have helped me or added value our team?
• How can I do more than say “thank you” when someone makes a meaningful contribution?