I did a visualization exercise with one of my clients this week to help her shift from her practical and tactical mindset to a greater connection to her feelings and her heart. The result was that she was surprised how quickly she was able to view her life and business from a different perspective. In short, she realized that her attitude about work colored her experiences every day and that being more present and mindful of gratitude is a powerful way to approach her life.

This holiday season has been greatly affected by the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut. I cannot even fathom the pain and grief of those families who lost their little ones. I grieve with them every day. But we can learn much from this tragedy that has nothing to do with gun control or mental illness. We can learn to appreciate our loved ones and our lives and focus on being present and living every day in gratitude.

Many of us understand the power of gratitude. Some of us have a daily practice of journaling and recording what we are grateful for in our lives. Many of us pay lip service to it, talk about how grateful we should be but don’t embrace it spiritually.

Now is the time for those of you who don’t have a daily practice of gratitude to change your focus. You subscribe to this blog because you want to be successful. Enough of the focus on what’s wrong! Shift to the emphasis on what’s right, what’s positive, the potential. This positivity fuels you to not only be present and loving, but to see your career through a different filter. There are always new lessons to learn from every work situation, good and bad. There are always ways to improve your skills and advancement potential. Be grateful for what talent you have. Learn from those around you and take the time to appreciate your life every day. That’s the best advice I can give anyone who wants to have a successful career.

Happy Holidays!

Bonnie