How Do You Say Thank You?
Inspired by a very special client whose coaching program recently completed, I reflected again on a question I've asked myself many times, but have yet to answer.
How do I say thank you?
How in the world do I express my infinite appreciation and deep gratitude for the trust my clients give me, for their willingness to keep showing up with courage and openness?
How do I say thank you to them for sharing their vulnerabilities with me, when they know I'm going to take them places in their hearts and minds they've been running from, sometimes for decades?
Saying thank you in a way that aptly expresses my appreciation is an area I fear I fall short all the time.
When a leader completes a six month coaching program, or a team completes a year long cultural transformation program, there is a moment. A sacred moment in which it feels like so much needs to be said, yet nothing could even come close to describing the immense gratitude for the journey we've taken together, and the leader they've allowed themselves to become.
Brene Brown says the most vulnerable feeling of all is joy. If we allow ourselves to truly feel it, in the next breath arises a fear that the joy won't last. It's a reason we're so practiced at dodging the present moment and wave it away with a joke or the need to fill the silence. To feel pure joy is scary - as scary as the fear of losing that joy.
But as 2019 completes and I give myself permission to feel - I feel such deep joy and profound love. As Dr Joe Dispenza so aptly says, "I'm waking up in my dream", and this is certainly true for me.
So, if you will allow me this attempt to express my gratitude, what I'd like to say is...
Thank you. To you. Whether you are a leader with a title or a leader without formal recognition, you are a leader to me, and that's who I speak to every time I write and share.
Thank you...
- For doing what you had to do to show up every day
- For courageously trying something new, even though it was unfamiliar and you didn't know if it would work
- For being generous enough to listen, even when you didn't feel listened to
- For challenging your beliefs and learning how to empower others through deeper trust
- For not shying away from the tough stuff - whatever that was for you
- For opening your heart a little more and demonstrating new ways of connecting and communicating to achieve new outcomes together
- For allowing me, in some small way, to contribute to your leadership journey this year.
I have learned that taking a moment to feel and express our appreciation can make a difference in ways we don't know and can't always see.
It's easy to brush off our feelings, thinking people know how much we appreciate them...but how often have you hoped for more feedback, or to know if you're on the right track, or to be given even a small comment of encouragement - from someone you admire, from your life partner or from a colleague or friend.
Isn't it highly likely then, that someone would appreciate it from you too?
But we cannot give away what we do not have to give...so be sure to thank yourself first. For being the leader, the husband, the wife, partner, dad, mum, brother, sister, uncle, aunt and friend that you've been this year.
When we care for, love and appreciate ourselves, we can give the same kind of care and love to others in ways they will truly feel it and can receive it.
So, as we bid 2019 farewell and celebrate all that we've accomplished and learned, I remind myself that sharing our appreciation doesn't need to be perfect, include expensive gifts, be smothered in loud bravado, or include audacious declarations, it just needs to be felt.
So, in my own version of imperfection, I wanted to take a moment in this video to wish you a wonderful end of year celebration.
I look forward to bringing you new thoughts, hopefully inspiring you in new ways, and supporting you with new offerings and new levels of service in 2020.
Thank you for being here.
