March 2004 - Volume 10

Inspiring Quotes A verse to motivate you and other people at work or home! “Beginning to tune into even the minutest feelings of…gratitude softens us…If we begin to acknowledge these moments and cherish them…then no matter how fleeting and tiny this good heart may seem, it will gradually, at its own speed, expand.” – Pema Chodron “You cannot be grateful and unhappy at the same time.” – A woman to Dr. Tom Costa “That it will never come again is what makes life so sweet.” – Emily Dickinson “If you haven’t got all the things you want, be grateful for the things you don’t have that you don’t want.” – Anonymous

Top 10 Ways to Bring More Gratitude into Your Life These concepts were taken from Attitudes of Gratitude by M. J. Ryan. 1. What Do You Really Need? When we focus on what we really need, rather than what we want, life is much simpler. 2. Do the Work of Forgiveness Nothing blocks feelings of gratitude more than anger and resentment. That’s why the practice of gratitude requires the work of forgiveness. 3. Transform Expectations into No Matter What Living your life day to day to be happy with the outcome “no matter what” gives you a release on life. It is the same philosophy as “worst case scenario”; preparing yourself for the “worst case scenario” gives you the ability to deal with whatever comes your way. 4. Be Willing to Embrace What Shows Up It is believed that for every person, there are three circles of influence: you, other people, and life itself. All three are interconnected and interpenetrating: just as you influence and are influenced by those around you, so does life influence and is influenced by you. 5. Leave a Trail of Happiness When you are treated good by people or someone goes out of there way to help you be sure to let that person know, but also their boss, co-workers or family members. 6. Write a “Thank You” to Yourself It is from self-love that we really learn to love and appreciate other people. Do you know what you are truly thankful for in yourself? If not, maybe you could sit down and write a thank you to yourself that you can look to when you need reassurance. 7. Look for the Hidden Blessings of Difficult Situations Gratitude is an all-out experience. Being a grateful person is one who accepts both the blessings and downfalls in life. Even though we don’t want the downfalls to happen, it is important to find the lesson to be learned. 8. Don’t Compare Valuing your life at this very moment is a gift. Comparing ourselves to the wealthy doesn’t make our lives more desirable. 9. Develop a Good Memory A good memory keeps us from losing our perspective, from being so caught up in the work of the here and now that we forget the larger bounty of our lives. When a family member or co-worker annoys you, remember back to the last time he/she helped you out in a time of need. A good memory helps keep us having an attitude of gratitude. 10. Tell someone you work with why you appreciate him or her. This is pretty self explanatory, but take time everyday and be specific with people about why you appreciate them. Strategies to Energize Your Team Proven techniques taken from 1001 Ways to Energize your Employees: “Welcome to the team” flowers on the first day of work. Whenever something positive happens, put it in the "smile box" -- read once a week -- draw one for a winner ($25 gift certificate). Put gold stars on employee computers or name badges along with note of thanks. Brown bag welcoming lunch to meet new employees. Post a sign at entry with a new employee's name. Get to know exactly what an employee really wants. The All-Star Award: $50 gift certificate and paperweight (Quarterly with public announcement in company newsletter. Written thank-you notes. Department pizza party. Read letters from satisfied customers to all teachers at faculty meeting. Do patient survey and share the results with coworkers; post on the "Way to Go" bulletin board. Star Program: If employees do something beyond their normal job, they are given a star in public recognition. The Chief Operating Officer (COO) distributed ice cream to employees himself -- not one of his employees. Give an employee a giant Tootsie Roll. Golden Nugget award and certificate to employees who do an outstanding job. One-on-One Praising: Set interviews and meeting times with employees, who set the agenda. Dinner certificates. Continuous improvement team lunch. Certificates for course completion. Shirts and jackets. "Way to go" letter sent to individual and faxed to all locations. Vacation hours to be used whenever employee wants. Time off certificates. Thank-you notes: Challenge middle managers to write 10 notes before the next staff meeting. "Smile About It": Secret shopper (retail) issues $50 certificate on the spot for great customer service. Coffee cups. Casual dress. Employee of the Month: Free lunches for the month. Pass-around trophy. Online greeting cards. Extra Mile Award: For doing anything extra. Excellence Award: If you make the company money. One-on-one lunch with manager.