Gratitude: A Thought Leader

“Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” – Melody Beattie

As the holiday season approaches, I have been deliberate in taking time to slow my normal hurried pace and survey my life through the lens of gratitude. I have been candid in sharing with you all several of the challenges and victories I have encountered over the past few months. Pausing purposefully and intentionally to view these situations with the eyes of thanksgiving is what I like to call a “game-changer.”

As the leader of a technology company, I certainly understand the mantra: Move quickly, Think ahead, Look forward. But this comes at a cost. Rarely are we encouraged to look back, to pause, to see our current life circumstances through fresh, thankful eyes. Thanksgiving has historically been a time for that, one day a year set aside to pause.

I think that Melody Beattie was on to something in her quote above… Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It can change the way we view our circumstances, our surroundings and ourselves. Although it may not make full sense of them, gratitude brings clarity to life obstacles that were formerly confounding or unwelcomed. While it may not bring total and complete peace in a moment, appreciation can bring hope to a situation that is seemingly helpless. And, though it may not give you a comprehensive future vision, thanksgiving will certainly ease the steps forward to the unknown.

My wish for you this season is this: That you might allow a sense of gratitude to provide for you a shift in your thinking and the way you choose to live your life. Join me in intentionally slowing down and allowing gratitude to give us all a fresh perspective. I hope for many blessings on each of you this holiday season.

– Clifford A. Bailey
speaker, CEO, grateful heart