Another Thanksgiving has arrived. Usually, we all use this occasion to take stock of all that we have to be grateful for. My list is long and includes my incredible family, my amazing team here at Monster VoIP, and our loyal customers. I’m also deeply thankful for my friends and all of my professional and personal relationships.
Hopefully, everyone reading this also has a long list of people and things that they are grateful for. I’ve always loved the James Allen quote: “No duty is more urgent than giving thanks.” May we all fulfill this duty without fail! But this year, I encourage all of us to look at Thanksgiving a little differently. I wonder what would happen if we focused on the second part of the word instead of the first: GIVING instead of THANKS.
That is, in addition to being thankful for all that we have, we can also focus on ways that we can increase our efforts to GIVE to others. And I don’t necessarily mean financially. I know that many people reading this are already VERY generous when it comes to donating to the charities and causes that they believe in. Plus, some people reading this may not have the financial means at this time. That is perfectly understandable.
Rather, I am inviting you to simply see that there are SO MANY WAYS you can give to others in your daily life — without costing a cent! Here are some examples:
- Give more to your family. Maybe you get up half an hour early to surprise your spouse with breakfast in bed (and yes, you need to clean the kitchen as well!). Or maybe you set aside some time to watch a movie with your kids (you really can’t go wrong with Back to the Future or Home Alone). There are COUNTLESS ways that you can give to your family, and let them know
that they are so important to you. - Give more to your job. No, I’m not suggesting that you aren’t a hard worker. But what I am asking is this: do you have a little more to give your colleagues, customers, and anyone else that you encounter in your work? Could you lean forward and step up to make their lives a little bit better, easier, and more successful? Make a list of the small things that you can do — and then do them with pride. Don’t wait to be asked. Take the lead and do it on your own!
- Give more to your community. When was the last time you had a chat with your neighbors to see how they were doing? Is there something you can do to make things a little better for them? We spend so much of our lives in front of computers, that we sometimes forget that life is about PEOPLE and not THINGS. Remember: when the sun sets on your life (which hopefully won’t be for a very long time), all of the iPhones and PCs you ever owned won’t shed a tear. But the people who you touched will, and in their hearts, they will send you a blessing. Give the gift of your time and care to your neighbors, and your community.
This Thanksgiving, I will be reflecting with heartfelt joy about all that I have to be grateful for. But I will also be asking myself: in what ways can I GIVE more to my family, job, neighbors, and community? As Robert Louis Stevenson advised: “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.”
What seeds will YOU plant in the days ahead?
Nicky Smith
President
Monster VoIP
