The Benefits of Being Grateful

While there are days that it's harder to remember that I have blessings to count, on this Thanksgiving, as well as most other days, I try to spend at least a moment reviewing what I have versus what I don't have or what I want.  Examining this a bit closer, I try to focus on what I need versus what I want.  Focusing on wants often brings me to things other than the those that really matter - a warm home, food on the table, the ability to pay my bills, the support and love of family and friends.

This may all seem unrelated to job search, yet we know that those who convey a positive attitude will land sooner than those who don't.  Those who have a positive attitude on the job tend to keep their jobs longer, even when their skill set is not as strong as a colleague who complains a lot. 

Until a decade ago, the focus of psychological research was heavily skewed towards what makes people sad or depressed.  During the past ten years, there has been a shift towards examining what makes people happy.  The evidence is overwhelming - those who are grateful, which has a direct link into being happy, are healthier, more productive and more likely reach their goals.  The results of one major study on the impact of gratitude clearly indicates that taking the time to count our blessings makes a huge difference in how we face the world each day.

So today, I am not only grateful for the smell of the turkey cooking in the oven and the knowledge that I will be surrounded by friends and family later in the day, I am also grateful to all of the people who were strangers to me several months ago and are now part of my network.  I am grateful for the time and energy they've put into meeting with me, the guidance and advice they've offered and the people they've connected me to.  Today I focus on all that has gone right with my job search and remind myself that I am making progress, make the choice to believe that each 'no' brings me a step closer to my 'yes' and count my blessings.  I truly have a lot to be grateful for.