by Meg Weidner
We live in a world where numbers dictate our success. What is your net profitability? How many followers do you have on social media? How many views did you get on your last post? If we only use numbers to measure our success, we’ll never know our immeasurable potential.
So how do we push past the numbers game and connect with something that fuels us when our numbers fall short? Gratitude.
These 5+ simple ways of expressing gratitude will make you think and feel like the richest woman in the world even if your Q3/Q4 reports say, “You broke.”
- First thing in the morning, it is so tempting to check emails, update statuses, or return a text. You will get to all of this and more, but first, write down five people, opportunities, experiences or things (POET) you are grateful are and be very specific as to why you are grateful. For example, I could say I’m grateful for my mom but that feels beige. When I write, I am grateful for my mom because she consistently shows up for me and listens to me I feel empowered. Whew, that’s some stuff right there.
- Tell someone in person why you appreciate him or her. It could be anyone from a family member, a colleague, a boss, an employee to the person who makes your coffee exactly how you want it before you even order it. Again, be specific. If I tell my daughter, “You’re really nice,” she does not look up from her mobile. When I touch her hand lightly and say, “Hey, I really appreciate how you choose quality friends instead of quantity,” she smiles. She genuinely feels seen and I feel heard.
- Give an UNEXPECTED shout out on social media for someone you admire or appreciate long after his or her fifteen minutes of fame has passed. While I mostly post about day to day life, I mix it up and give a shout out to our producer, Leann Lei, who is my rock and guiding light in all things personal and professional. She lead by example and got our indie film done on a tight budget and with grace. No small task. She is my superhero!
- Write a thank you letter to someone who makes you smile, who makes the world a little better just by being in it. Do you remember your first boss who believed in you, your first customer who became a long time repeat customer, your first positive review? It feels so good and it feels so much better to take a moment and thank these people. Break out your pen and paper. There is sincere magic in handwriting. Trust me. It makes the heart and soul feel good.
- While lying in bed at night, close your eyes and play a little game of Alphabet Grace. Go through the alphabet starting with the letter “ A,” and with each letter, list people, opportunities, experiences and things (POET), you are grateful for. Just think them, don’t write them, stream of consciousness style, no edits. You’ll fall asleep on a positive note and most likely, before you even reach the letter M.
I’m a failure –based mom and an award-winning filmmaker even though my short list of Imdb credits will make you ask, “Who did what again?” But instead of getting distracted by the numbers, I think of all the people who made my film BEST MOM come to life beyond the words I wrote on a page, I write their names in a journal with very specific reasons as to why I am grateful to each member of the cast and crew. I write down the names of family and friends who supported me on this journey long before the director called action. I share how grateful I am for the opportunity to make a childhood dream come true. I reflect on the experience and honor how I have grown personally and professionally. I thank all the future things in store for Best Mom. Ah-ha, Bonus Gratitude!
Take a moment and think about that special person, opportunity, experience or thing (POET) in the future that will make you feel joy. Trust this moment will come to you and feel grateful. Think and feel as though it is real right now. This level of gratitude is” a whole ‘nother level” as we say in the south.
Thank you to Melissa Stewart for creating this space for all of us to share our stories and to learn and grow together. Thank you to all of you hustlin’ women for taking the time to read this and making great things happen. We are all more than a bottom line and I’m so grateful to share this journey with you.
Art imitating life, life imitating art, Meg Weidner is a failure-based mom and the award-winning filmmaker of BEST MOM streaming on Amazon and other platforms. She can write 40 drafts of a screenplay but she can’t create a hyperlink to save her life. Check out www.bestmomfilm.com to view a trailer and all viewing platforms. When not getting lost in her head, Meg loves connecting with friends and traveling. She also does the bare minimum of exercise to justify her love for food.
