{"id":54,"date":"2008-01-24T11:10:00","date_gmt":"2008-01-24T16:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.leadershipintherealworldblog.com\/?p=54"},"modified":"2008-01-24T11:10:00","modified_gmt":"2008-01-24T16:10:00","slug":"thank-you-is-for-wimps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.leadershipintherealworldblog.com\/index.php\/2008\/01\/thank-you-is-for-wimps\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Thank You’ is for Wimps!"},"content":{"rendered":"

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In a recent newsletter<\/a> we discussed the importance of expressing appreciation to those around us. I told about a guy who essentially thought saying “Thank You” is for wimps. Though you likely don’t share that opinion, many of us regularly miss opportunities to model a spirit of appreciation ourselves and to express it to others. Yet those opportunities are all around us.<\/p>\n

Last week I was trying to fly home from facilitating a 3-day project management workshop in Pittsburgh. Flights were delayed into O\u2019Hare because of weather. Controllers directed our regional jet, with its share of crabby passengers worrying about connections, into a holding pattern where we all bounced around in the turbulence with each loop.<\/p>\n

We had a last second missed approach due to runway traffic which further delayed arrival. I had a blistering cold walk through a snowy lot to get to my car. My window was frozen shut so I got another taste of Chicago\u2019s arctic weather when paying the attendant.<\/p>\n

Do you know what I was thankful for as I drove away from O’Hare? Seat heat. <\/p>\n

Glorious, soothing heat was warming my body and soul as I started the drive home. From there I moved onto other things I was thankful for, such as the privilege of driving home to a family that I not only love but truly enjoy. I\u2019m thankful I get to fall asleep next to my incredible wife of almost 20 years instead of spending another night in a smelly hotel room. I\u2019m thankful that I get to make a living doing what I do best. I’m thankful for a peace with God that makes me excited about the future instead of fearful of it.<\/p>\n

The gratitude flowed freely for the entire drive home, which made me much more pleasant to be around when I finally stepped into our warm home. And it all started with a little seat heat on a cold night.<\/p>\n

What are you thankful for today? Who<\/em> are you thankful for and need to tell? Make it happen. Today.<\/p>\n

Here are some links for further reading:<\/p>\n