LIFE is a Special Event!
As the pace races faster during our year-end giving bustle, we can feel the shift from enjoying it all to “just getting through it.” That’s when our appreciation and gratitude need to be called front and center. Long days, metrics to meet, cards to send and double-duty with family and donors can transform joy to frustration. When we go through every day with gratitude and appreciation for the people and experiences we encounter, LIFE becomes a SPECIAL EVENT!
Here’s how:
- Remember, YOU CREATE YOUR LIFE.
We’d like to blame external stuff for bringing us down, or giving us stress, but YOU and YOU alone decide how words and events make you feel. No one can MAKE you feel anything. When you take responsibility for this, you unleash an amazing power over your own moods and spirit. Remember to flip the switch in your own brain and choose a positive interpretation of other’s actions. Be grateful you have this power! 
Make your own MAGIC.
Something very wonderful happened to me in October. My former Campaign Chair, Robert Walton, hosted the, “Wonderful Women in Walton’s Life” dinner. Fifty of us gathered for a beautiful meal and one-by-one Bob shared why we were there. Bob chaired a $10 million campaign – my first of this size in the late 80’s. The goal was raised to $20 million. Speaking at a massive campaign event, Bob said, “I must share we have not met our goal.” All eyes turned to me. “We have surpassed it and raised $26 million!” He brought us together to thank us for what WE had done for HIM! That was a switch! And, he encouraged us to make more good happen by partnering with the other 49 women in the room. How can you make YOUR own MAGIC?
Embrace the hard side of others.
There’s this saying, “Nobody loves you when you’re down.” It is amazing to me how generous and patient we will be with our donors when they are frustrated or challenged, yet we expect our supervisors, family, and colleagues to always be positive, never lose their tempers or “go off.” No one can be “up” 24/7. Everyone needs someone they can vent with. Help others work through what is pushing their buttons. Don’t jump on the victim bandwagon, “Oh poor me, she yelled at me, now I feel bad about myself.” Sometimes people in your life can be porcupines – that’s when you need to hug them the most.- Why are you so wonderful?
Ask yourself the right questions. Instead of, “Why can’t I get it all done?”or “How will I meet my giving numbers?” ask, “What is most important for me to do right now?” and “Why are so many people interested in supporting my organization this year?” Our minds are like Google. We will search for the answers to the questions we ask, consciously or unconsciously, about ourselves. Ask questions to bring your best self forward. What are you GRATEFUL for today?
Here’s wishing you endless reasons to be thankful in the months ahead.
