Gratitude

It was Thanksgiving in the US this past weekend, so I was thinking about gratitude. Whether it’s in my professional or personal life, I believe that the attitude of gratitude makes all the difference.

Every morning at work, within the Japan team, we greet each other with “Yoroshiku onegaishimasu” as a phrase to give each other pats on the back and treat each other kindly while working toward a common goal. This happens after we confirm the tasks for the day, and a lot of communication happens during this time, especially with it being a small team and everyone working from home.

After this starting point, we complete our various tasks. Sometimes, this involves covering for other team members, which is always followed up with words of gratitude. It’s so important to be able to express this to each other for things to keep running smoothly, especially because Japanese people tend to assume that the other party knows without saying. On the other hand, it seems like when I’m dealing with multiple nationalities and backgrounds, we tend to communicate more clearly because we assume that we’re different.

In my personal life, I try to communicate consciously to those who are closest to me - my closest friends and family. I think this is important, because when you’re close to someone, you automatically tend to assume that the other person understands you, when that’s not the case.

I think words of gratitude are especially easily taken for granted and dismissed if we’re not consciously communicating them. Even just one simple, heartfelt “thank you” can really change the mood and overall quality of communication. And maybe the person that benefits the most from it is the person who said it!

Thank you so much for reading my blog!

Wishing you a beautiful week filled with smiles and gratitude!