OK, Now Give Yourself a Hug…

Whenever we have conversations about gratitude, it’s natural to approach being grateful from an outside perspective… I’m thankful for this person or these people in my life. I’m grateful for this thing that I have or possess. I’m thankful for these experiences I’ve been blessed with or shared with others…

We all have a lot to be grateful for. Rarely though, if ever, do we express gratitude for ourselves.

Before we go any further, we get it. This may have just gotten awkward for you. You came here looking for a blog on marketing, business, and leadership – not self-gratitude. The reality is this, though… being thankful for yourself is the first step to being a good leader, running a strong business, and creating any kind of success. We’re just not used to talking about it.

Living in Minnesota, our ability to appreciate ourselves is regionally challenged. When someone tells us we made a great hot dish, our go-to response is, “Oh, I just threw that together. It’s nothing.” Mom told us not to brag, and that message stuck. Minnesota Nice is a real thing… except we have a hard time sometimes being nice to ourselves.

The struggle is real. We have a hard time when it comes to creating the space to tell ourselves, “Yeah, I am pretty awesome at this.” So with that in mind, today we’re going to create that space for you using three simple questions…

What about your character and personality are you grateful for?
Are you fiercely loyal or wildly creative? Are you a good listener or someone who will be there for your friends at 2 AM? Do you approach others with empathy and compassion? Are you naturally positive and uplifting to the people around you?

What about yourself physically are you grateful for?
Are you thankful for your brain or your ears, or your hands? Do you rock good hair on Fridays? Are your lungs and legs strong and capable of carrying you wherever you want to go? Do you have strong eyesight or the ability to sleep soundly through the night?

What unique skills or talents do you have that you are grateful for?
Do you know how to tie a cherry stem into a knot or perfectly fold a fitted sheet? Can you do that thing where you turn your hand around 360 degrees? Did you make a kick-butt lunch for your kids to take to school today?

There’s no rocket science to this exercise. Simply put, the only thing you have to do is think about a few things you like about yourself and then thank you for being you.

Call-to-Action

If we asked you these questions about your best friend, you could answer them in a snap. Now, the challenge is to answer them about yourself. Make some room over the next few days to do this. Spend some time with yourself, give yourself a few compliments, and tell yourself you’re grateful for you.