A Simple Thank You Does the Trick
November has come and gone – in a flash. It’s a month of celebrations in the Peterson-More household: three birthdays, Veterans Day, and the “granddaddy of them all,” * Thanksgiving.
* What we in Pasadena – and some sports newscasters — call the Rose Bowl
Personally, I blew it: I intended to honor my WWII parents on Veterans Day, to highlight family birthdays, and to write a thoughtful post on the gratitude I have for many. Given it’s never too late to give a huge Thank You to all who I am honored to have in my circle of family, friends, and colleagues, here goes.
December Becomes My Month of Gratitude: Join Me
I decided that December 2025 would be my month of gratitude, thanking a person or persons, or an association, per day for 31 days this month. I invite you all to join me.
“I Always Hear When I Screw Up – I Never Hear When I do Well”
Over the years of having taken and given many 360 performance evaluations – some way too long (one was 97 questions) — some too difficult to decipher what was being asked, I discovered that many go unanswered by the recipients. I found one I use that has 32 questions. One question, “My supervisor gives me feedback,” frequently results in the response, “I always hear when I screw up; I never hear when I do well.”
The Power of a Simple Thank-You
No surprises there. And this is an easy-to-remedy matter. Don’t be phony or fake – since we can all smell a rat a mile away – yet surely in the course of a week, there is someone you can thank for having done something nice for you, and another you can recognize for having completed a job or task well. It’s amazing how adopting this practice can quickly turn around the person who is feeling unacknowledged.
My December Thank-a-Thon: Join Me
Taking my own advice, it’s time to kick off my Thank-a-Thon. Here goes:
- December 1st – Thank you to my three children who have brought joy into my life each and every day.
- December 2nd – Thank you, Gail, Sandy, and Barbara, for helping me tackle a house full of “stuff” that needs to be distributed.
- December 3rd – Thank you, Dr. Win, for reminding me I’m due for a vaccine.
- December 4th – Thank-You readers for perusing this post!
Redefining Success
It’s amazing how focusing on all of those who deserve my unadulterated appreciation has the added benefit of shifting my mindset to the positive. I am looking for the opportunity to give thanks or praise.
Try it: Jump in – the water’s fine.
