You probably heard the phrase, “gratitude is an attitude,” at some point in your life.  It could have been during your younger days when your mom wanted you to change your disposition or possibly quoted in an inspirational speech or sermon.  While the concept may sound simple, is gratitude part of your attitude?

Adopting an attitude of appreciation can pay off in all facets of your life whether it be for your family, your health, and even your business.  After being in business for myself for quite some time, I can say integrating this spirit of thankfulness has helped me look outside my problems and see the bigger picture, even when it feels like there is no clear path.

As we move through this season of giving, I thought I would share why and how having a grateful heart has had the power to transform both my life and my business.  

Promotes a Positive Perspective

Utilizing gratitude as the foundation for both your life and business can cause a dramatic shift in how you view the world.  According to the article, The Grateful Brain, "gratitude can have such a powerful impact on your life because it engages your brain in a virtuous cycle. Your brain only has so much power to focus its attention. It cannot easily focus on both positive and negative stimuli. It is like a small child: easily distracted."

We all know life is far from perfect, so things will happen, and we will be tempted to respond negatively.   Instead of dwelling on the bad, you can flip the script and see how it contributes or feeds into the bigger picture.  As a business owner, seeing and visualizing situations through a grateful lens will help you navigate the waters of uncertainty.

Gratitude is Contagious

Gratitude not only pays off dividends in your own life but carries over to all those around you.  People want to be around positive people.  The spirit of gratitude is contagious as it calls you to demonstrate kindness, grace, and mercy to not only yourself, but to others. 

A grateful heart will call you to lead in a new direction – whether that be leading your family, peers, or business.  When others feel appreciated, they want to do the same in return.  That results in healthier and happier relationships, and employees who strive to be with you for the long haul.

Method of Growth

One of the most underutilized strategies for growth – either personal or professional – is growing from the inside out.  So often we look to conventional strategies that typically cause us to end up right where we began.  But what if we adopted gratitude as a method for personal and professional growth?

Believe it or not, there is quite a bit of research to back up this strategy.  Adopting gratitude as an attitude has been proven to have amazing physical and psychosocial benefits.  Examples of those benefits include better sleep, greater productivity, and even enhances decision-making.  Who doesn’t need more of that in their lives?

Final Thoughts

Whatever happens in life, I really believe there is always something to be thankful for.  With the adoption of this core belief, I have been able to move through some of my toughest challenges both personally and professionally.  Life is beautiful. Take the time to stop and appreciate it. Gratitude has the amazing power to transform your entire life.

At Evergreen Franchise Advisors, we are truly grateful for the opportunity to be able to transform lives one business at a time.  Whether you are just beginning your business ownership exploration process or already have several businesses under your belt, we can help you navigate wherever you are in the process.  Schedule a consultation with us today.