“Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action.”— W.J. Cameron
I recently attended a meeting where the facilitator did an around the room check-in. Most of the people described themselves as “overwhelmed.” The state of being overwhelmed comes from a keen awareness of all that one is doing, as well as all that one is not doing. Even more, each of us may be holding in our minds the things we absolutely need to do very soon now but have not yet made space for in our plans.
This time of year can be an intensely busy time. We feel our attention pulled in many directions. Taking time to refresh our perspectives can be a useful tool in accomplishing what is important.
For example, my wife and I went for a long walk through the deep snow that fell here this week. We paused and committed “Random Acts of Snowmen”, a simple whimsical action that connected us and perhaps brought a smile to others who walked the trail after us.
As leaders, one of our prime responsibilities is to lead people to a clarity of what can be done. And better yet, we need to highlight those things that can be done with both joy and the thankfulness that we are making progress towards the good we desire to do in the world.
It is helpful to recognize what we have accomplished as individuals and in the work we do with others. We can pause and thank people for their achievements and for the effort and good heart they put into those accomplishments.
May you find moments to commit your own Random Acts of Snowmen. Even more, may you find time to say “thank you!”
Thank you for your readership.
Yours in the calm pursuit of excellence,
Alan Willett
