As the holidays and new year come upon us, this is my favorite time to reflect on everything that has happened throughout the year. In particular, I like to assess what I’m grateful for, both on a grander scale as well as on a day-to-day basis. Amy Morin said it best, “Being thankful can have a major impact on how you think, how you feel, and how you act. It’s like an underrated superpower that could change your life.”

In a Harvard research article I came across the other day, it stated that gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships. It also stated that leaders who remember to say “thank you” to people who work for them may find that those employees feel motivated to work harder.

Aside from the gratitude I have for the health of my family, friends and team, words cannot express how grateful I am for this unbelievable community of brilliant, caring, giving, supportive, hilarious, hard-working women who want to make a difference in others lives through their leadership. I’m grateful for all of you who have made this association what it is to date and cannot wait to watch us all continue to grow year-over-year. Thank you for setting the standard for what diversity, equity, and inclusivity is to look like within the industry, as well as paving the way for those efforts to become a reality. Thank you for letting us help. 

I know that the end of the year is an extraordinarily busy time with tight deadlines, tons of travel, next year’s budgeting and, of course, the holidays, but here are some small ways to incorporate gratitude into your daily life right away:

  • Start by just thinking about it once a day.
  • Write a thank-you note.
  • Send a text or email.
  • Reward effort.
  • Keep a gratitude journal.
  • Meditate.
  • Say thank you for the little things.
  • Find gratitude in your challenges. Embrace challenges and turn them into opportunities to grow.
  • Include an act of kindness in your life each day.

We would love to hear from you! Let us know what you do to make sure you practice gratitude regularly.

Members of the Women Leading Travel & Hospitality team at our September Roundtable event in New York City.