It seems as though 2020 has brought us a lot to feel down about, but at the same time 2020 has also brought into focus what we have to be grateful for as well. Now more than ever we are keenly aware of what and who is important. In uncertain times, we cling to what can be stable and reassuring. Showing gratitude and expressing gratitude have been known to decrease depression and increase feelings of hopefulness. I asked my team if anyone had things that they have been grateful over the past year and here are what some of them said.

This year we added Amy to the team and she told us that after taking a break in the working world she has had a fun time jumping back into things and getting to learn new things. She has enjoyed getting to know Joe, Liz and Puni in addition to the others we’ve worked with at COPE. I have known Amy since our girls were in kindergarten together and she always puts family first. She said, “on a personal note, if this crazy year of 2020 has shown me anything, it’s how much my family means to me. The bonus of all this at home time is getting to spend so much time with my little “birds” before they leave the nest! Family and friends are what life is all about!”

Puni is always such a calming force for our team and has added so much! Puni is someone that when you meet her you truly feel like you’ve always known her. She is grateful for so many things during these weird times and like many others having the election behind us and she’s grateful for the feeling of the restoration of democratic values and being able to breathe a sigh of relief again”

Pam left Denver to move to Kansas City and although she moved there a few years ago to be closer to family she hasn’t been able to spend the kind of time she wanted with them because of COVID. Even though Pam could normally be found traveling the world, she is able to look on the bright side. She’s grateful for my family—even though she has not seen part of them except for one sighting at an outdoor soccer game—she’s glad to live among them now. She’s also grateful for the family of friends I have developed over the years and this time has led to many contacts far and wide with those friends—many laughs that have sustained her. Pam has taken advantage of this time and is also grateful for so many virtual and televised learning opportunities. She has learned so much about so many different topics and reports that her abundant curiosity has loved this chance to learn and describes it as designing her own liberal arts education!

Robert, a man of few words (but the words he does speak are given with the most charming southern accent) said he is grateful for a positive and enriching work environment but also grateful to have time with his beautiful wife and grandkids.

Liz like so many this year was dealt some tough blows and yet she maintains a positive and grateful attitude. She’s thankful for friends and family to celebrate, commiserate and support in these crazy times. She’s also grateful for her GPS family and clients that graciously allow us into their organizations; always challenging and inspiring us. Liz has quite the view from her home and enjoys the Colorado’s blue skies, fresh air and endless vistas.

Cindy says she is grateful for her friends at GPS. (and we feel the same about her). She also said she is grateful for her health and her family especially that her Mom is still here for her love and guidance. So many people have lost loved ones, and I know Cindy has a special bond with her Mother and has been doing a great deal to keep her safe during this difficult time. She did express that she is grateful for me and called me a true friend. There is really no higher compliment to receive than that.

Joe keeps Grays Peak Strategies rolling along smoothly and this year did have a really rough March that made us all realize how serious COVID is and how much we missed him while he was out. He told us that he has a lot to be thankful for… but this year, “I think I should give an extra mention to two things that I have often taken for granted, and that so many people have lost. 1. I’m thankful for my health. While I did get sick, I know that my otherwise good health helped me to recover and I feel lucky that it wasn’t worse than it was. 2. I’m thankful to be able to work – that I have a job that can be done remotely, and I can continue to earn a living without putting myself or others at risk.” #wearamask

David said he is grateful for too much to list here. Some of it is broad and obvious. That his family and friends and colleagues have so far come through our current crisis without serious consequences beyond temporary (albeit sometimes serious) illness. That he has had a chance to do meaningful, challenging work and do that with so many great people, both co-workers and clients. That the earth is beautiful and so much art is beautiful. Cats. True to form, much of it, he says, is more idiosyncratic and would involve long sidebars. (Okay, a short one: try Cesanese del Piglio!). At the same time, he, like many of us, sometimes finds it hard to separate the gratitude from the frustrations—probably more so on Thanksgiving than on other days. But when he realizes that other people share his frustrations and, more importantly, are and have been actively working to address them. In his words “doing more than I have done, I am sorry to realize, and often doing so from much tougher positions than mine.” Finally, he tries to be conscious of the debt owed to others and demonstrate that gratitude in what he does.

As for me, well I am incredibly grateful for a team of amazing colleagues that push me and challenge me every day. We have pushed the boundaries of virtual trainings and creativity in making our service offerings and I am inspired by all of the team! I am thankful for amazing clients. Our clients become family. We did some leadership development this year and at the end of the last session we all felt this sense of bonding that I am grateful for. There’s nothing more rewarding than doing great impactful work with passionate people that share a common belief that we can do great things together! I have been so grateful to have extra time including impromptu lunches and lots of dinners full of laughter with my family this year. My twin daughters are applying for colleges and it has brought the essence of time to the forefront of my mind. I haven’t hugged my mom since early March (my dad and I have snuck some hugs in) and even though I ache for a good mom hug, I am grateful that she is not a COVID statistic and that she is safe and that I can still pick up the phone and call her whenever I want because I know that there are a lot of people that are missing their loved ones this year.

There is science behind the benefits to your mental and physical health when we show gratitude. It is this important shift behind concentrating on the negative or the loss to the positive things in our life. Gratitude also has the capacity to increase important neurochemicals. When thinking shifts from negative to positive, there is a surging of feel-good chemicals such as dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin. These all contribute to the feelings of closeness, connection and happiness that come with gratitude[i]. What are thankful for this year? Write it down and I encourage you to share it with those that you love.

[i] https://www.heysigmund.com/the-science-of-gratitude/#:~:text=Gratitude%20also%20has%20the%20capacity,happiness%20that%20come%20with%20gratitude.

Gratitude is More Important than Ever