An interesting Harvard study found that giving thanks can actually make you happier – and that’s just the beginning. The article states “Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.” Even when times are trying, a grateful attitude is the right attitude to try to adopt. It can energize you and help by giving hope.
We love this simple quote by Maya Angelou, a reminder to be grateful for each new day and all its possibilities.
“This is a wonderful day. I have never seen this one before.” – Maya Angelou
Gratitude is something we practice a lot around here at Wondercide and it all started with a life-changing practice for our founder Stephanie Boone. Stephanie shares in her own words how this came to be for the company, how her kids join in, and a few things she’s grateful for right now.
Thankful Thursdays at Wondercide
Something we do at our office is Thankful Thursdays. Everyone in the company voluntarily gets together on Thursdays, and we just have a moment of gratitude where everyone shares, if they feel comfortable, something that they’re grateful for. Sometimes that is coffee and fresh water, and sometimes it is much more serious and personal than that. We laugh. We cry. We’re vulnerable and there for each other. It’s really wonderful.
I think it’s about building the community and taking care of people inside of the company so that we all have the energy and the passion to continue taking care of the millions of families we have protected so far.
How Thankful Thursday came to be
I had this idea of starting Thankful Thursday a few years into the business when I learned about the “21 Days of Gratitude Challenge”. The premise is that it takes 21 days of repeating an action for it to become a habit and this was one of the things that really fundamentally changed my mindset to a mindset of abundance. The rule that I set for myself when I was doing the gratitude challenge was to be thankful for 3-5 things every day, and in a week they could never repeat. So I couldn’t just be thankful for my family or for Luna, my dog, or that I have running water or a roof over my head each time. I had to get specific, really dig in, and that’s where I really rooted in gratitude. It created this shift for me that has continued through my life.
I realized that it was something that could be not just grounding but really foundational for our organization to come together each week and share something that each of us is grateful for. We can all find something that we’re thankful for. I was trying to lead by example and instill that service or I guess servant leadership of helping people find a way and believing that life can be beautiful. I think gratitude is the way.
How the kids embrace Thankful Thursday
Even my kids wake up and want to do Thankful Thursday, and so Thursday mornings while we’re getting ready they say “Is it Thursday, is it Thankful Thursday?'' and we just lay in bed and share what we’re grateful for and it’s been amazing to listen to them.
Sometimes it's just family members. Sometimes it’s a friend at school. Sometimes they’re grateful for their favorite fruit in the refrigerator or something they’re excited about, you know their bicycle, but it’s so incredible that they are in this mindset of thinking about what they are grateful for and sharing that with me and with others around them.
A few things I’m grateful for today
My littles. Ellie who is our rescue pup, laughter together, quiet moments in nature, and crazy moments. For me right now, I'm thankful for time I have with those I love.
