Do you celebrate World Gratitude Day?
World Gratitude Day is an international event held annually on September 21st, designed to encourage people across the globe to pause and reflect on the positive aspects of their lives. This helps to spread happiness and appreciation for others. The idea was first proposed in 1965 during a Thanksgiving dinner gathering in Hawaii. It was created by the spiritual and meditation leader Sri Chinmoy. The purpose of this holiday is to foster connection, worthiness and to create a ripple effect of benefits for everyone involved.
This day can be celebrated with colleagues, friends, partners, family members or even pets. However, trying to celebrate this within the workplace can have great effects on employees mental and physical health, as well as morale and the success of a company/business. Giving and receiving gratitude can have a myriad of positive effects including increased empathy, more self-confidence and better resilience. It can also reduce anxiety, improve sleep quality and lower blood pressure.
Here at Scott Media, we try our best to express gratitude as often as we can and we’ve spoken to a handful of our clients about how they perceive gratitude. Here’s what they said:
- Louise Muir-Sage, founder of Something Kind of Woo – “Gratitude, to me, is remembering that so much of what I once hoped for is now part of my everyday life, even on the hard days I never take for granted the people who walk through my door, support my business and allow me to do something I genuinely love.’’
- John Lewis, John Lewis Mindset Performance Coach – “Gratitude is the beauty of simple things we should never take for granted.”
- Sally Stockreisser, Emotional Empowerment Coach – “I’m so grateful I get to support others to transform how they feel – I delight in people and enabling them to experience their best quality of life.”
- Elizabeth Butters, Virtual Assistant for Bread & Butters who supports local charity Wiltshire Treehouse, which provides bereavement support for children and young people. – “I practise gratitude on a zoom call every morning with the Arbonne community as part of our Be Well miracle morning club. Writing out the things I’m grateful for really helps with anxiety and gives me the tools to handle tough situations better. It’s such a game changer!”
- Fi Da Silva-Adams, Founder of Revolution Performing Arts – “Gratitude is every parent who tells me their child found their confidence on our stage – nearly 20 years in, that never gets old.”
- Danielle Holmes, Managing Director, Black Nova Designs Ltd – “Gratitude, to me, is taking a moment to appreciate the people who make life and business meaningful. I’m incredibly thankful for the trust our clients place in us, the support of those around me, and the opportunity to do work I genuinely enjoy every day. It’s a reminder that success is never achieved alone and that even the small wins are worth celebrating.”
7. Kelly Rogers, solicitor, Awdry Law – “Gratitude to me means knowing that I am alive, well and happy. Knowing that I am able to help or assist someone, even with something small that may seem insignificant to me, but not to the other person and you never know the ripple effect of your behaviour and the profound impact that a small act can have on many others.”
While World Gratitude Day is a powerful reminder to be grateful for all that we have, it’s important to continue showing gratitude all year round. Leaning into those around us and expressing thanks for the kindness others show, helps encourage the same behaviour reflected back on to us. Feeling valued and seen is a human need. We have the power to show those around us that they matter and to celebrate everyone’s unique abilities.
There are a number of different ways you can express gratitude in the workplace. For example:
- Send handwritten thank you notes
- Host a party for your team
- Reward your employees for their contributions
- Host a company-wide meditation
- Upgrade your office space and facilities
Whether it’s in the workplace or at home, gratitude can always be shown. This can be by encouraging random acts of kindness. You could leave handwritten notes, carry out acts of service and even giving occasional gifts, can remind others that we remember the things they say, what they’re interested in and that they’re valued.
What are you grateful for this month?