Image description: The Qi Creative Team dancing together at our Head office in Edmonton.

"Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings." - William Arthur Ward

In an earlier blog about Goals and Resolutions, we mentioned starting with a Theme to help reflect and connect on your achievements and future plans.

For 2023, our Theme for the year is Attitude and Gratitude!

The right Attitude can make all the difference in your day to day, or when things don’t go as planned. And when things don’t go as planned, finding Gratitude in what did go well can equip you for future challenges and events.

Before we leave you at that, let’s break down what and why we chose Attitude and Gratitude as our theme:

Let’s Break it Down

Attitude refers to a person's outlook or perspective. It can include their beliefs, feelings, and behaviors towards certain things.

A positive attitude is generally characterized by optimism, hope, and a willingness to try new things, while a negative attitude is often marked by pessimism, cynicism, and a closed-mindedness.

Gratitude is the quality of being thankful and expressing appreciation. It is a positive emotion that helps us to recognize the good things in our lives and feel thankful for them.

Showing gratitude can be as simple as saying "thank you" to someone, or it can involve more thoughtful acts of appreciation, such as writing a thank-you note or doing something kind for someone. At Qi, we find that being grateful for the small things helps us build for gratitude for the big things in life!

How to Cultivate Gratitude

Image Description: A series of Gratitude Journals available for purchase at Dollarama here in Edmonton.

There are many ways to cultivate a sense of gratitude in your life (and throughout the year!). Here are a few suggestions:

Keep a Gratitude Journal

Writing down the things you are thankful for can help you focus on the positive aspects of your life and cultivate a sense of gratitude. A gratitude journal could be something tactile like a paper notebook, or an app on your phone or computer.

The things you write can be big or small, and they don't have to be related to your personal life – you can also write about things you appreciate in the world around you, or things that you find beautiful or meaningful.

You don’t need to produce a giant list all at once—try starting at 3 things per day!

Practice Mindfulness

Being present in the moment and fully engaged with your surroundings can help you appreciate the little things in life that you might otherwise take for granted. Try closing your eyes first, and noticing the sounds and smells around you.

Set aside a few minutes to sit quietly (somewhere quiet at your home, out in nature, perhaps even just people-watching at the mall) and focus on the things you are grateful for, in the past and at the very moment you are sitting. This can help you cultivate a sense of gratitude and mindfulness.

Apps such as Headspace are popular choices to help guide people through meditations, or others who are newbies at mindfulness.

Perform Acts of Kindness

Doing something kind for someone else can help you feel good about yourself and improve your sense of gratitude.

Whether it's a small gesture or a more significant act of service, this can help you focus on the good in the world and feel grateful for the opportunity to make a positive impact.

We have a few ideas for you at Qi Citizenship: Serving Others During Difficult Times if you’re not sure where to start!

Share Your Blessings

Sharing your blessings with others, whether it's through volunteering or simply helping a friend in need, can help you feel grateful for what you have and also encourage a sense of gratitude in others.

For example, you could try shoveling a little further on your driveway, walking your dog a little further than you had planned, baking more than you initially planned so you can give the extras away!

Express your appreciation to people in your life. This can be as simple as saying "thank you" or writing a thank-you note. Sharing your gratitude with others can also help to spread positivity and happiness.

Reflect on The Good Things in Your Life

Taking time to think about all the good things in your life, no matter how small, can help you appreciate what you have and cultivate a sense of gratitude.

Gratitude helps us live in the present and see the beauty in everything. There is always something to be grateful for and expressing this appreciation changes your outlook in life for the better. Believe in the magic of gratitude and you'll never look back!

Grateful For Our Team

Image Description: The Qi Creative Team (with family in tow!) pose for a group photo.

Qi Creative is grateful to our Success Coaching team for their hard work and for the support of their families and loved ones who have helped them along the way.

At Qi Creative, Attitude and Gratitude are not platitudes, but genuine, powerful tools when working with others, or on your own self-reflection.

The past few years have dealt major challenges for many, and as we move to a new year, we intend to live each day with Gratitude for making it through, and the Attitude to keep making it through with courage, hope, and joy.