At three o’clock in the morning, our 4 years old daughter called out, “Daddy, I want to go to the toilet!” I did my daddy duty, chaperoned her to do her thing, and then tucked her back into her bed. When I was done, she cheerily said to me, “Thank you daddy.”
It may have seemed a mundane pleasantry but it wasn’t. Smack! For some reason, it hit me between my eyes like a high-caliber bullet. It was so genuine and filled with a pure, innocent love that came straight from her heart.
For half an hour, I could not shake that “Thank you daddy” off the sleep-induced fog in my mind. Then it struck me. How many times do I genuinely say “thank you” to those I lead? [TweetMe] Am I thankful for my talents or do I look at them as a given? What credence do I place on the fact that I am blessed with an awesome family or a job?
In the dead of the night, I was deeply convicted that I need to take leadership of my attitude of gratitude.
STOP COMPLAINING. It is not all about me. Recently, I had a very interesting discussion with a friend. It came to our attention that adults can be very good at whining. “Why can’t so and so pull their weight? Now look, the whole project is stalling!” Instead of complaining, I should kick my fear in the teeth and talk directly to the person concerned, not whine to another who is unrelated!
“Letting Go is a gentle reminder to oneself that the only person you really have control over is yourself.” Lalita Raman
POSITIVE OUTLOOK. Negative energy can easily bog down my optimism. However, I am learning to become more inspired to bless others with words of encouragement. I am now constantly seeking out ways of speaking “positivity” into people’s lives.
Leadership isn’t rosy all the time, but make the good times remarkably unforgettable [TweetMe]. I need to remember what I am passionate about. It’s to take complete leadership of all spheres of my life.
“It is the soul’s duty to be loyal to its desires. It must abandon itself to its master passion.” Dame Rebecca West
RID THE CLATTER. The fullness of the heart is not governed by the bounty of bank account. It is made the more significant by the quality of meaningful relationships with family, friends, colleagues or business associates.
I was watching a TEDx talk by Adam Baker where he asked, “What does freedom mean to you?” It is having the clarity to live your life in line with your beliefs and the people we love. I need to be more thankful for the time that I have on this earth and not waste it on unnecessary things and toys.
If I want to impact those that look up to me, then I will have to cut back on the long hours at work and invest that time building those relationships. I need to cut the clutter, noise, and “busyness” that is eating into my being.
“Learn to get in touch with the silence within yourself and know that everything in life has a purpose.” Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, MD
Question: Tell us what are you grateful for today. What are you doing?
photo credit: Brett Jordan via photopin cc
Enzo Guardino, thank you for your Scoop and support.
This is a beautiful post. So wise, and so true! I don’t think many people stop to think about how gratitude makes them stronger and tougher…sadly, many believe just the opposite. Instead of making people soft, gratitude builds a positive attitude that leads to stronger thinking. This post makes me grateful that I know you, Kimunya!
LaRae Quy, we need more people like you. I like your point that “many people stop to think about how gratitude makes them stronger and tougher…sadly, many believe just the opposite.” Gratitude doesn’t make us “chicken livers”, it just make us pillars of strength.
Your daughter’s words struck me as I envisioned her vulnerability and trust.
She asked for help in her need, and you responded with love and care.
It’s such a basic need, yet she needed your help. It reminds me that any request for help is worthy of the same response; I need to be just as patient and caring with one request as the next.
This was a lovely post to read this morning…thank you!
Thank you Denise. Amazing how inspiration comes from the most unlikely sources at he least expected times.
Powerful! There’s nothing more powerful than the gratitude of a child. Glad to include this in the November Frontline Festival.
Children are powerful, because their thoughts and actions mostly guided by a genuine curiosity and fresh perspective. Looking forward to the November Frontline Festival 🙂
Kimunya – Great post! It’ is amazing the lessons our kids can teach us if we take the time to listen.
Heartfelt gratitude is a powerful gift we can give to those around us. When we share that gift we can create an impact on the other person that goes well beyond our simple “Thank you”. We inspire others to give of themselves, that creates a chain reaction of positivity in a very negative world.
Thanks for sharing!
You are very welcome Carol. Impact is forever as lasting impressions drive us. Thank you for your comment.