A Reflection On Gratitude

A Reflection On Gratitude 

As we celebrate Thanksgiving this week, I am again reminded of all the things I am thankful for in this life. Of course, there are the obvious ones, my health, my family, my home, and the community that is WMG, from the team that has become family, to our incredible clients. However, this year, I don't just want to skip over my gratitude as a trite Thanksgiving tradition. So I'm taking the time to reflect on my gratitude and I hope you'll join me in doing the same. 

Health

After nearly two years fighting a pandemic, my entire family recently experienced COVID-19. It was a difficult couple of weeks, and although for the most part, we're coming out of it, I still feel a pang when I hear my daughter's lingering cough. It is an important reminder that we simply cannot take our health for granted. I am lucky that my family was strong enough to fight the virus off, but I am renewed in my commitment to living a healthy lifestyle and prioritizing my health. We are only given one body and one life. I am grateful for the one I've been given and that means treating it with respect and care. 

"Family"

I am undoubtedly grateful for my blood family and their love and support, but as we enter into the holiday season I'm rethinking the definition of family. I think people get so stuck on the idea that "family must be blood." But I disagree with that mindset, I think we can choose our families. At Wilkes Mortgage Group, our team is a family of sorts. We treat one another with love and respect and we support each other in good times and bad. While it's important to be loyal and loving to those that we share blood with, let us not forget that we're in control to choose our family too. Family can come in all forms, the mentor that has shaped you and the friend that has never left your side. So this holiday season, I'm grateful for my family, both those that share my blood and those that have shared my life over the years. 

Home

In the mortgage industry, we put great emphasis on the idea of "home." Home is the roof over our head and the place that gives a sense of permanent belonging. While I am insurmountably grateful for my home and the homes I've been able to help clients get into, "home" has a much broader meaning to me. Home is more than a physical tangible concept, it's the spirit of people. Akin to our self-made families, I think we can find "home" in the collection of people whom we feel comfortable with and who support us. If we approach home with that mentality, we can find the peace and comforts of home wherever we go. 

The Wilkes Mortgage Group Team

As I've already stated, our team at Wilkes Mortgage Group is like family. They are the backbone of this operation and I know we would not be where we are without each individual that comprises this team. I am so thankful for their hard work and dedication to this business. 

Wilkes Mortgage Group Clients

We have been blessed with the best clients in the world. When I think of all the incredible folks we've been able to help get into homes this year, I'm truly blown away. This is an incredible community and I am so thankful to have been able to witness the strength and resilience our clients have displayed over the last two years. 

How to Shift to A Gratitude Mindset 

If I'm being completely honest with you and myself, gratitude hasn't always been so easy. Practicing gratitude is a daily choice and one we must continuously come back to. If gratitude feels a bit out of reach for you this year, here are a few ways you can shift to a gratitude mindset. 

 

1. Give back to others. If there is one thing I think could make a difference in our country, I believe it is a return to the golden rule, "Treat others the way you want to be treated." When we give back to others we are able to actively get outside ourselves and see the bigger picture. This doesn't have to be a monumental feat. Simply buy a coffee gift card for your child's teacher. Consider donating to your local homeless shelter or giving to a mission that serves the needy overseas. Oftentimes, we are so inner-focused that we neglect to see the world around us and focus too much on what we lack, rather than the abundance of what we already have.
2. Be intentional. If you aren't feeling particularly grateful, it's unlikely that that will change without some intentional effort. This may mean setting aside time each day to practice and reflect on gratitude even if you do not feel like it. Start small, and reflect on the little things in your day that you're thankful for. Over time, this practice will become second nature.
3. Express your gratitude for the people in your life. I seriously doubt that you cannot think of at least one person in your life that you are thankful for. This is a great place to start! Tell them why you are grateful for them and watch the way they respond. This can become a snowball effect for expressing gratitude in all areas of your life.
4. When in doubt, write it out. If you are struggling to think of things you're grateful for, grab a notepad and put pen to paper. Visually acknowledging the things you are thankful for can dramatically shift your perspective. Even if your gratitude list is as simple as a cup of coffee, a slow weekend morning, or a call with a friend, your attitude will likely change when you see it on paper.

 

 

I hope you will try a few of these things this week. We have so much to be grateful for in this life. Sometimes, all we need is the smallest perspective shift. 

Once more, as I cannot say it enough, I am so thankful for all of you and the family that is Wilkes Mortgage Group. I wish you all the best this week, wherever you are. 

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!