Gratitude: Day 4

Conversations with inspiring people. It can be easy to get run down doing the day-to-day things that need to be done. So knowing people who are positive and full of energy is wonderful on those low energy days.

Good vegetarian restaurants. A few exist in Connecticut. I'm glad to have the opportunity to spend time at least one day a month at the near where I live.

Gratitude: Day 3

My husband. Over the last two years I have watched my husband really come into himself and flourish. People have told him a lot in that time that he has become more and more like his father. I never had the opportunity to know my father-in-law, but I understand he was a well-respected man my husband can be proud to be compared to.

I have always been proud of my husband. I feel fortunate to have found such a loving, thoughtful man, and I continue to be impressed with him more and more every day.

Gratitude: Day 2

Dentists. I know it's a strange thing to be thankful for, but it's so important. But, I just came from there. I am so appreciative to have a dentist who cares as much as the one I have been going to for the last four years.

I volunteered at the Connecticut Mission of Mercy last year. It was humbling to be a part of that dental clinic where dentists volunteered to treat as many patients as they could in 2 days.

Total patients treated: 2,052
Total value of charitable dental care: $970,843
Number of volunteers: 1,640
Cities, towns, & villages represented: 266

The location changes. The 2011 clinic is scheduled to take place in April in Waterbury. If you want to be part of something important and worthwhile I suggest you check it out.

Gratitude: Day 1

I think it would be nice to think about the things I'm grateful for. I'm going to start today and continue for a month (Nov 11-Dec 11.) and list at least one thing I'm grateful for every day. The only rule is that it has to directly relate to something that has happened during that day.

Today I'm grateful for my dog still being healthy even though she's 13 years old. People never suspect she's that old. I notice because she only has about 20% of the energy she used to have, but other than sleeping more and being a bit more grumpy, she's still the same dog she was when I first found her in Texas.

I'm also grateful for vets. They might be expensive, but it's such a piece of mind to know they can, and truly do want to help her, when she's there.

Thanksgiving thoughts

Made a couple new dishes last night. Shredded Brussel sprouts with butternut squash and apples was one. The other was kale and olive oil mashed potatoes. I think they both came out nice, (and I loved that fact that the first dish reminded me of our wedding colors) but I'm trying to imagine the palette of a fourteen year old girl. I'll eat pretty much any vegetable so sometimes it's challenging to try and plan Thanksgiving food for other people. Well, back to the drawing board...

More leadership thoughts

Writing about leadership yesterday reminded me of one of those "motivational posters" you see.

The one I'm thinking of is probably a parody, but it goes like this. A lion sits in the forefront and underneath it is the large word arrogance. Underneath that is this phrase: "The best leaders inspire by example. When that's not an option, brute intimidation works pretty well, too."

Even as a joke it's misguided. Intimidation is always the refuse of the small minded and the insecure.

Leadership

I've come to realize that leadership is the most complicated thing in the whole world. Not only do you need to find a way to motivate and inspire a group as a whole, but you need to have a real relationship with each individual person as well. There's no short cut to that. It just takes time and effort.