The Magic of Graititude

“ T H I S A
W O N D E R F U L D A Y .
I ’ V E N E V E R S E E N
T H I S O N E
B E F O R E . ”
M A Y A A N G E L O U
G R A T I T U D E
I woke up yesterday and said to myself,
"Really, though? How did I get so
lucky?" To be where I am right now, to
have had the experiences that have
brought me to this place, at this time? I
have no one-shot answer, but it's
genuinely how I feel most of the time.
Maybe it's a little magic, or some mystic
of the universe, or maybe simply in the
right place at the right time for
everything to begin to lock into
synchronicity. Of course, there are
moments when I lose sight of this, and
then I think to myself that it's part of
being human; overall, I am incredibly
blessed.
I have to be honest with you though this
has not always been my story, far from
it. There were many times in my life
where this type of thinking was a real
challenge for me. I am no stranger to
struggle and adversity; in fact, there
have been times I have wondered why
me? What did I do to deserve all of this
that life is seemingly heaping on me?
Much of my negative perception came
from my earlier years when my view of
life was difficult to imagine. When I
didn't understand my purpose and did
everything I could to avoid looking at
what that might be.

There was a point in my life I would
have told you that I had lost all faith in
humanity; looking back, I can see why.
Some circumstances and events
unfolded in my youth that shaped who I
would become and altered the path for
the rest of my life. Trust was broken,
relationships fell apart, and life became
bleak and directionless for quite some
time. It was an undeniable dark chapter
of my life, I was at sea without paddles,
and I couldn't see the shoreline
anywhere near me. I was struggling to
tread water for a very long time, barely
holding on.
Now I look back on that time and know
that I wouldn't trade it for the world. I
am so proud to say I took that journey
off that cliff; I found my purpose and
now stand firm believing that "People
Make the World Beautiful." The most
significant learning for me is that it has
always been about the people who have
come into my life. Whether they are
here for the moment, a chapter, or a
lifetime, they have all touched my heart
in ways that have forever shaped how I
see the world. It has dramatically
shaped who I am and how I lead.
G R A T I T U D E S T A R T E D A S S O M E T H I N G I W A N T E D T O
A D D P E R S O N A L L Y , T O B R I N G A T T E N T I O N T O T H E
G O O D I N M Y L I F E .
Every morning I engage in a personal
gratitude practice that sets the direction for
my day. At this point, the ripple effect of this
practice has spilled over into all areas of my
life, and most interestingly, for me, my career,
it has changed the way I see leadership and
business completely.
Prior to founding The Inspired Leader, I was the director of Culture and Leadership
Development for a multi-unit franchise group in which we coined the term "People Make
the World Beautiful." (we use it as a hashtag on social media to share our experiences, it's
a fun little adventure if you are so inclined to look it up and read some heartwarming
stories). My husband first came up with it and presented it to the team, and it has now
become a catchphrase of the entire organization.

" P E O P L E
M A K E
T H E
W O R L D
B E A U T I F U L "
It has been used to highlight the unforgettable moments in hospitality that can easily
be missed when we get caught in the "to do's" of the everyday. What it's doing is
bringing a new awareness to the present moment and an increased level of gratitude
to the organization and its team members.
We have been able to use "People Make the World Beautiful" as a tool to connect with
the present moment, to connect with the people who are part of our lives, and to
connect with gratitude. It has been gratifying and life-changing to simply slow down
and highlight these experiences.

I N T E R E S T E D I N S T A R T I N G A
G R A T I T U D E P R A C T I C E F O R
Y O U R S E L F O R Y O U R T E A M ?
H E R E A R E A F E W T I P S T O G E T
Y O U S T A R T E D
#1
START THE PRACTICE
No matter what you do or how you do it,
simply start. Gratitude is not about
perfection; it's about connection. The
practice of gratitude can take a little time
to anchor into your daily routine, so get
going and create consistency.
#2
"FEEL" GRATITUDE
I know it might sound a little cliché, but it
takes intentional effort to fully connect with
our expression of gratitude. We have close
to 70,000 thoughts each day, most of which
we give little to no meaning to; they fly in
and out of our minds, often at light speed.
Choosing to give meaning to thoughts in
your gratitude practice allows you to begin
to deepen the experience of this act in your
life in ways that will increase your level of
well-being and overall happiness.
#3
SHARE THE LOVE
William Arthur Ward was quoted saying:
"Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is
like wrapping up a gift and
not giving it away."
Need I say any more? Sharing our gratitude
with and for others shapes the lens through
which we see the world. These experiences
change our perspective and our narratives
and shape beautiful future outcomes.

No matter what you choose to
do or how you choose to express
it, gratitude has a lasting effect
not only on your life but the lives
of those with whom you interact
each day.
It creates undeniable energy
that connects and builds bonds
that are not easily broken. It
helps anchor and creates
memories that are the markers
of a life well-lived.
So what are you waiting for?
GO ON AND GET STARTED!
I promise you won't regret it. I'd
say good luck with your practice,
yet if you create one, you won't
need it.
You will find yourself feeling
grateful for so many aspects of
your life. And maybe, just
maybe, you may even find
yourself saying, as I have at
times, "How did I get so lucky?"

THE MAGIC OF
GRATITUDE
Written By Ally Stone
Ally Stone has been a partner in a multi-unit restaurant
franchise for the past 15 years in Alberta, Canada. During that
time, she was the Director of Culture and Leadership
Development for the organization. In her tenure, she created
multiple successful models in leadership development and
team culture building that she now shares with other
organizations based on the idea that leaders can go beyond
their every day to create the careers of their dreams.
WWW.THEINSPIREDLEADER.COM

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