Have you ever experienced the Power of Gratitude? Gratitude can reframe your whole attitude and re-energize you. Gratitude can also connect you to yourself, to others, and build trust and community. It is a powerful and simple tool that each one of us can use to shift our outlook. Although there is much ongoing research about the science of gratitude and its correlation to well-being, I am going to share my first-hand experience with what I have witnessed during sessions of a program that I developed called Gratitude Rocks!

Gratitude Rocks! began at our family's kitchen table almost a decade ago. During a vacation in Maine, we stumbled upon a charming shop with a bowl of small ceramic pinch pots we referred to as stones. I later renamed them "rocks" because the play on words with Gratitude Rocks! was irresistible. Each rock had a unique word inscribed, with distinct fonts and styles.

I picked the rock with the word, “gratitude” and decided we would ALL focus on gratitude. Each family member also chose a personal rock with another word on it. During dinner, we focused on the gratitude rock and turned all the others upside down.

Each of us blindly picked a rock. When it was our turn, we shared something we were grateful for with the gratitude rock and then something related to our personal rock (the one we had chosen or, as some say, the one that chose us!)

As our collection of rocks grew, more people could join in. Watching our small family tradition blossom and make an impact has been heartwarming. Now, when friends and family visit, they often request to participate in Gratitude Rocks! While it started at home as a practice for my family and me, it has grown and been embraced by corporations and organizations as part of their community wellness and team-building programs.

The Power of Gratitude

Gratitude is a transformative force. It has the power to enhance our overall well-being. By fostering a positive mindset, gratitude helps us to appreciate the present moment, fosters resilience, and strengthens our relationships. Scientific studies have shown that regularly practicing gratitude can lead to improved mental health, increased levels of happiness, and even better physical health outcomes. As we explore the profound impact of gratitude, it becomes evident that this simple yet profound practice holds the potential to bring about monumental changes in our lives.

Why does Gratitude Rocks! have such an impact on connecting people to themselves and to others? Here is what I believe. When you are asked to slow down and take a moment to think of something you are grateful for, several beautiful things happen:

1. You become present.
   
   Whatever else you had spinning in your brain and swirling around in your heart and body must go away as you think about something that you are grateful for. Are you grateful for the smile on your child’s face that morning? Are you grateful for the sunshine and warmth on your face during a beautiful summer day? Are you grateful for the laughter that came from your belly when a co-worker made a joke? Are you grateful for the person who let you into the flow of traffic? There are so many things to be grateful for, and they are all personal and unique to you—what you are experiencing on that day and what comes to mind in that moment.
2. You flex the self-reflection muscle.
   
   When thinking about what you are grateful for, you become present, slow down, and reflect on things that have occurred. Then, you often move into noticing how you feel. What emotions were evoked by whatever you are feeling grateful for? We can often be moving so fast in our daily lives that we do not even take the time to reflect on what is happening in our lives. Reflection is a powerful tool for growth and learning. When we reflect, we are able to zoom out a bit, pause, and view things from a balcony. Just the practice of self-reflection is one that when used repeatedly, can help us to be more attuned. Also, when we listen to other people reflect on what they are grateful for it often will prompt us to think of other things and reinforce this skill around reflection.
3. You become vulnerable and courageous.
   
   Gratitude helps to show your human side. During Gratitude Rocks! individuals will often share something new and unknown. Especially when they choose their personal, unique “rock.” Since they do not know what their rock will be, they are forced to share what comes up for them. That takes courage. The vulnerability to be open with others is powerful. It helps connect the individual to themselves as they process the thoughts and emotions that come up for them with their unique word. It also helps connect them to others as they share and show their human side in an organic and natural way.
4. You build trust and community.
   
   As you share, your authenticity and vulnerability build trust with the others in the group. This trust then spreads, and there is a sense of community among the group, something that connects the group to each other. Imagine if you continued to do this practice on a regular basis. Each time you would be deepening the connection and allowing for more opportunities to connect with others around you. Your connection breeds a new sense of belonging. You are organically building trust and creating community.

Mindful Gratitude

While fleeting moments of gratitude can certainly brighten our day, the impact of intentional gratitude practices extends far beyond these spontaneous experiences. Intentional gratitude involves a deliberate effort to acknowledge and appreciate the positive aspects of our lives regularly. This practice not only heightens our awareness of the good around us but also rewires our brains to look for and focus on positive experiences, ultimately shifting our mindset towards greater optimism.

By setting aside time daily or weekly to reflect on and express gratitude, we create a consistent habit that builds upon itself. Over time, this regular practice can transform our outlook, improving mental health, boosting emotional resilience, and fostering stronger interpersonal relationships. A structured and intentional approach engrains gratitude into our daily routine, making it a permanent fixture in our lives. This sustained practice can lead to profound life changes, helping us navigate challenges with a positive mindset and deepening our sense of connection to those around us. In our complex and often challenging world, I've found that this small practice around gratitude has been driving more positivity and bringing people together.

I would encourage you to try it. You could start to just think of something you are grateful for every day. Then, try to start your day with gratitude and end your day with gratitude. The more you do it, the easier it becomes. It also seems contagious, so if you share your gratitude, others may just follow suit.

There are so many ways to bring Gratitude Rocks! to life. Can you do this as a team check-in? Can you use this as a fun and different icebreaker? How about at YOUR kitchen table? Play with it and experience the impacts of gratitude firsthand. It starts with you, but if we all get into the practice of gratitude, imagine what the world could look like.

About the author Beth Mercurio, Founder of MercurioConnect:

I partner with leaders and teams to connect and thrive. In our current complex environment, it is more important than ever to connect; connect to yourself, connect to your team, and connect to your organization. I am passionate about leadership growth, lifelong learning, and human development. I help leaders make choices and commitments that leverage connection, drive purposeful action, and ultimately ensure leaders shift from surviving to thriving. When individuals are thriving, they make choiceful actions that move them towards what is possible, their envisioned future. With this attitude and mindset, leaders contribute to and connect more fully with their teams and organizations, driving positive results.

Working together we create space to reflect on and uncover the importance of self-awareness, collaborative connections, and authentic communication to harness opportunities and drive lasting change. Rather than race into action, we ensure that actions are values aligned. We slow down to focus energy on the few things that will drive desired outcomes and results. Together we create unique and personal commitments that drive accountability and action.

As appropriate, I integrate embodied leadership into our collaboration for the sake of staying present and bringing our best selves to each day through wellness, mindfulness, gratitude, and centering practices. Tuning into our bodies is yet another way to stay connected to ourselves and align our actions with our values. Combining embodiment practices with the more classical expertise from Babson's FW Olin Graduate School of Business's MBA facilitates my unique approach to coaching.

In addition to coaching and development skills, I bring over 20 years of leadership experience in innovation, business operations, and strategic planning for both B2B and B2C organizations. I led a startup technology business and have a deep understanding of working in a fast pace, constantly changing environment where failing forward and having a learning mindset were critical to success.