Every year around this time, I share this simple challenge… Take some time and write down 100 things you are thankful for.
Chris Cathers and I talked about gratitude on a past episode of the Grit Meets Growth podcast. Chris was particularly fired up about embracing gratitude and generosity through November and December and then forgetting about it in January. What should be a daily practice of appreciating what we have and sharing with those around us has become a seasonal highlight rather than a lifestyle.
He and I are on the same page, and if you’ve spent any time around the Depth Not Width blog, you know that I see gratitude as the core of our human experience. Being thankful can reset our mindset, shifting us from fear and overwhelm into contentment and happiness.
With that in mind, do this exercise with me. Download your “100 Things I Am Thankful For” worksheet and start to work on your list. Coming up with 100 things may seem daunting, but give it some undivided attention, and it will be easier than you think. Remember, it’s not just the big things. It’s the smallest things. It’s the people you love and the relationships you value. It might be the fact that you woke up this morning.
We all have one hundred things… we just have to make time to see them.
The Takeaway
Enjoy this exercise, share it with family and friends, and have a Happy Thanksgiving. Make gratitude part of this season, but even more important, make it part of who you are and practice it year-round. Do this exercise in November, and in March, and June and July. The world will be better for it, and so will you.
Grateful for each of you. – John
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Reflecting back, and setting goals forward…
We’re in that time of year when everyone is starting to reflect. With one year winding down and another on the horizon, reflection seems to be more top-of-mind for all of us. With that, I have two tools to share. First is my free 2025 Year in Review worksheet, a great way to dive into the lessons you’ve learned this year, personally and professionally.
Second, as we’re all thinking about our goals for the new year, I have a set of goal setting strategies to share, as well as a goal setting worksheet I use every year to set my own vision and direction. We’ll guide you through committing to a few goals backed by purpose, clarity, and a proven process, which turns ideas into outcomes. You can find both of those here.
Here’s to making the most of every opportunity the new year brings our way! – John