Debra Kasowski

What Does Gratitude Have to Do with Wealth Building?

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Seriously, what do gratitude and wealth building have in common? The answer is simple – everything.

You may have heard several theories about “vibration” or “energy” in reference to the Law of Attraction and wondered what in the world do they mean by attracting  “like energy”. I am sure you are imagining a magnet pulling you into a never land of fairy tales but it is indeed reality.

The power of wealth building begins in the practice of gratitude. Gratitude attracts wealth.

BE GRATEFUL FOR WHAT YOU HAVE

The practice of gratitude begins with being grateful for all the things you currently have – family, friends, experiences, and even material possessions. Wealth is much more than material things. It is the presence of having a life filled with happiness in being, doing, and having what you want in life. All too often, we fail to recognize our accomplishment because we are busy moving onto the next greatest or exciting item on our agendas. Much of our success has to do with the people around us who have helped us shift our perspective, challenged us to new heights, and helped us see or access resources to reach our goals. Success does not occur in a silo. I believe it is important to celebrate the people who supported you on your journey to where you are today. The scarcity mentality tends to takeover when people start to focus on their lack of abundance. Instead, they should be listing what they are grateful for.

I heard one woman complaining about how she disliked going to networking events because they made her nervous but at the same time, it was the networking that brought her the majority of her clients. Her business hit a plateau as she stopped going as frequently to her networking functions. She focused on what the networking events did not do for her versus what they did do for her.

“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more.

If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.”
–Oprah Winfrey

APPRECIATE THOSE AROUND YOU

Make things happenYou may have heard the saying that “You are the average of the 5 people you hang around the most.” When you take time to appreciate others for who they are, you make them feel valued and appreciated. Recognize those who have made an impact in your life. From personal experience, I know it can change someone’s life. I sent a card to one of my teachers from long ago. There were many students who thought she was very strict but I saw her as someone who was disciplined and expected our very best. She ended up sending me a thank you card back stating that my card had brought her to tears. After all these years, someone had expressed appreciation and valued her for who she was and not what they thought she should be. How many people in our lives could use some unconditional appreciation?

People want to know that they were more than a transaction in your business world. They want to know that you have their best interest at heart. When express gratitude and appreciation, you can make a person feel like they are the most important person in the world. You can begin doing this by being full present and giving your time and attention to one person and finding out how you can serve them or support them in their personal journey. Guaranteed through consistent practice they will start referring people to you to do business with – people remember how you made them feel. There are businesses like SendOutCards that have been built by the prompting of expressing gratitude.(If you follow the link and do business, I may make a money. You do have the option to go to the site yourself.)

MEASURE WHAT YOU WANT MORE OF

You may think of money and finances when you hear of measuring what you want more of, however; the same holds true for expressing gratitude. Make a list of things you are grateful for or write out what you are grateful for in a journal.

SPEAK OF GRATITUDE WHEN YOU SHARE YOUR STORY

Complaining, blaming, or venting bring the tidal wave of negative energy so to speak. You may wonder why some people seem more abundant than others. The way you speak about yourself and others and your story tells a great deal about your character. I am not saying that everything needs to be sunshine, roses, and unicorns as I know that heartbreaking events can occur in life. Think about how you speak to others or about others. You may not think people are watching or paying attention to the was you act or do business. Guess what? They are paying attention and they do share what they see with others. Customers are attracted to the attitude of gratitude – someone who speaks with integrity and confidence about their vision.

You will attract others who are grateful and see abundance. Your network will expand and so will you network and the richness of the experience you have in your life.

How has gratitude impacted the wealth in your life?

“Feeling grateful or appreciative of someone or something in your life actually attracts more of the things that you appreciate and value into your life.” — Christiane Northrup

Does Procrastination Really Have a Purpose?

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I know many of us have procrastinated at one time or another in order to avoid rejection, failure, or working on something that really doesn’t interest us. I catch my kids holding up the homework train with text messaging or television – wondering when is this homework going to get done? I guess there are days I can even admit I ask the same thing about housework, laundry, and the odd business process. The other day my daughter came home from school and started explaining to me that she was at study skills session and the teacher said procrastination is not necessarily a bad thing. I thought, “Oh no – Here it comes!” My dear daughter said, “See Mom, not all procrastination is bad.” Her learning and declaration really got me thinking – maybe procrastination does have a purpose after all.Woman with chalk globe and jet world travel

PROCRASTINATION STIMULATES CREATIVE THINKING

When you are crunched for time to get things done, you need to be creative and innovative with how you use your time. You might start with jotting down notes of all the pros and cons of a project, mind-mapping ideas, or drawing pictures of what needs to get done. Out of the box ideas may come from time constraints.

PROCRASTINATION LEADS TO HIGH PERFORMANCE/HIGH QUALITY

If you are one of those people who waits until the last minute to execute and achieves high results, you are amazing! I bet if you planned everything out you would probably not get the same results as you do when you are under pressure. Some individuals say they actually do not do as well by planning to the last detail. You have learned to use your procrastination to your advantage.

PROCRASTINATION LEADS TO CLARITY AND GOOD DECISION MAKING

By holding off on making a decision until you weigh out all the facts and information, you can reach clarity and make a decision you feel satisfied with. You gain better insight by reflecting on your next steps of action.

PROCRASTINATION MAY LEAD TO QUALITY “ME” TIME

Chances are you are a high achiever but high achievers still need to take a break to regroup and re-energize. Hopefully, in the process, you decided to play the piano, cook a gourmet meal, take pictures, or play a board game with your child. Whatever, you did instead, must have been more fulfilling at the time. Procrastination may be the “pause” in life you need.

PROCRASTINATION LEADS TO GREATER FOCUS AND GETTING MORE DONE IN A SHORTER AMOUNT OF TIME

You can hear the clock just ticking – you only have 20 minutes to get things done. Does your panic button alarm go off? When you have a shorter amount of time, you have to really work with purpose and take decisive action. You learn to get laser-focused and prioritize very quickly. I encourage you to set a timer and see how much you can get done in just 20 minutes. You will be amazed. Think of how fast you tidy up when someone says they are coming over to your house in 20 minutes.

Procrastination may have a purpose after all but it is not healthy if it cause guilt, perfectionism, or hinders action based on fears and self-doubt. I enjoyed reflecting and thinking about how there can be purposeful procrastination. The next time my daughter starts on her assignment at 10 p.m. maybe she needs to set herself a deadline and I need to be an observer of a procrastinator in action getting the results she wants. Thankfully – what we procrastinate about is a matter of choice. For the most part, procrastination is not a permanent way of being but a tool for high performance.

How has procrastination served you? Please share this article with the procrastinators in your life and comment below.