We have reached the time of year when wondering where 2022 went is on everyone’s mind. As we approach the holidays, it certainly becomes a very busy time for all of us, both professionally and personally. I hope that you will join me in pausing for a few moments to reflect on all that is going on in the world today, as well as your own personal life. I’ll share a couple of points that, hopefully, will make the days go by smoother and be more rewarding.
As I take a moment to reflect, I am very fortunate to be able to find ways to be grateful for my health, my family, and my friends. As we continue to live at an accelerated pace, experiencing post-Covid lockdowns, I want to provide a few resources that have helped me over the years, as I’ve faced the “rush to the end of the year” without losing my sanity. I find with the year-end to-do list growing, along with it, our stress grows, and our patience shrinks.
I read a great book several years ago, “Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America” by Barbara Ehrenreich, in which she describes an experience of working and living on minimum wage, and the challenges it brings to those that work in so many places where we interact. She calls out the importance of simple communication techniques equating to demonstrating respect and appreciation, along with thankfulness. The next time you are in a restaurant, be sure to make eye contact with your waiter. You’ll be surprised at the level of service you will receive. Being respectful and grateful is certainly something we all should take a moment to focus a little more time on, especially during the holidays. It is a great habit to develop and will return wonderful dividends.
We hear a lot of talk about kindness and gratefulness in our world today and the need for more of this behavior. During the holidays, we have the opportunity to gather with friends and family, to practice being kind & grateful. What about the rest of the year?
In the book, A Simple Act of Gratitude: How Learning to Say Thank You Changed My Life, by John Kralik, the author explains how an attorney, who was in the greatest storm of his life, both personally & professionally, found a way to be more positive by saying thank you for even the smallest of gestures. On some days, he really had to stop and about how he could find the silver lining to an otherwise bad experience. He committed to finding various ways to say thank you. He spent the year writing thank you notes to those that impacted his life with large and small actions. As a result, not only did he positively impact those receiving the notes, they in turn reciprocated and shared kindness with him and others. After accomplishing his goals, his mental health improved greatly; and was noticed by his family, friends, and co-workers, so much they would often call out the noticeable change.
Our mental health can drive some of the most important aspects of our life, most importantly, our physical well-being. As you move through the remainder of 2022, and look forward to an even better 2023, my challenge to you will be to remember everyone is facing something, some greater than others.
To experience a better 2023, keep these three simple points in mind:
- Be Relevant. Each time you interact with those you work with, or those in your family, focus on being present and relevant. There is no more important factor than our time, so be sure you stay relevant to the needs at hand. How can you prepare to be supportive of your team or your family as they move into a new, challenging year?
- Be Distinct. How can you stand out in this environment of so many competing priorities? You must find a way to be distinct. In our busy lives, being grateful and appreciative could be what sets you apart from others.
- Be Memorable. It is amazing how easy it is to be memorable. Think about the amazing memories of those people in your life that made an impact on you. What did they do to leave you with a memorable feeling?
While 2022 comes to a close, I’m most thankful for the things I focus my time on; my family, my friends, and my co-workers. I’m blessed to have wonderful people in my professional & personal network. I hope you can find ways to develop an even stronger network of success in the coming year!
Regina Bailey
Sr. Director of Retail Strategy – Menasha Packaging
*Title and company of the author reflect their position at the time article was written.
The opinions expressed here by guest bloggers are their own, not necessarily those of Stout Executive Search.