Being Thankful this Holiday Season
How are you?
That’s not an idle question this year. I don’t ask it casually to lead this newsletter. The first of our company principles is #integrity, and my focus this year is on all of you.
Next week is Thanksgiving in the U.S., and usually it involves family, community and tradition. With public health at stake, we are all wrestling with a lot of emotions and logistical challenges, and it’s hard to open up to new or different possibilities this year.
The silver lining is the centrality of “thanks-giving” in this national holiday, and the opportunity for gratitude to be part of this year’s observance. Whether alone, in a small family gathering, or yet another video call, we can mark this point in time as a time to rest and restore. And to look around us and help those who need a safer place to be.
I liked these suggestions that I found from Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, and frankly I don’t find them to just be for kids:
Instead of prank calls, make “thanks” calls. Sit down with your child in the days leading up to Thanksgiving and make a list of people who’ve done something nice for them lately. Then set aside time on Thanksgiving for your child to call and say thanks.
Decorate the front yard with thank-you signs. From essential workers and healthcare heroes to teachers and neighbors, lots of people deserve a special thank-you. Get your child involved in drawing or painting signs to decorate your yard this Thanksgiving season.
Send virtual care packages. Social distancing and self-quarantining means you can’t get together to hug in person, but your child can send the next best thing: a bunch of photos and silly video clips that will spark a smile.
Find a way to give back. Talk to your child about the causes that matter to them, and the people or things in the community that they’d like to help. Reach out to organizations to see how you can give back, whether that’s making a donation or volunteering in a way that’s safe during COVID-19.
Among the many things that I am personally grateful for this year are my AIQUEOUS teammates, our clients and our newsletter readers who share our mission, vision and principles. That alignment has helped me focus and stay motivated this year when there were many reasons when I could have stopped. This is one of my “thanks calls” this year to all of you.
I wish everyone a happy and healthy holiday next week.
