Guest blog by Dede Mulligan

Last Thursday, Americans all over the United States celebrated Thanksgiving with their families. On this day, for perhaps the whole day or for a fraction of a moment, they gave thanks for food, family and friends. Once the plates were loaded and stomachs filled, they went back to the football game or preparing for Black Friday shopping the next morning.

But let’s rewind for a moment, shall we? Perhaps the dinner conversation or certain moments during this celebration were really significant. We don’t always think they are because they are somewhat mundane; things like sweeping the floor, washing the dishes or unloading the dishwasher. But these moments of caring and kindness can be significant to someone who suffers from Parkinson’s Disease or to a hostess who has 27 people in their home.

So how can we take the spirit of Thanksgiving and keep it in our hearts and minds all year long? Here are three easy ways to do so that will make someone’s day.

Simple Significant Moment: 3 Ways to Give Thanks

1. Send 3 handwritten thank you notes every week.
   Whenever you have a meeting, close business or someone gives you a referral, send them an old-fashioned thank you note. Tell them what you are thankful for and send it off. This might be the note that makes all the difference in the world to the recipient.On the personal side, I know thank you notes are powerful. When I was going through a painful divorce, I spent one month in Florida recovering and quickly befriended the lady down the street named Melanie. She really listened and helped me through the process of healing. When Melanie was diagnosed with terminal cancer a year later, I sent her a thank you note for all she did for me and offered my help in her time of need. She never responded to my note, but my parents were in Florida when I wrote it and she went to them several times and told them what that note meant to her. She went on about how thoughtful I was and how lucky they were to have a caring daughter like me. Melanie died peacefully a few months later, but I still get tears in my eyes just thinking about those significant moments; caring conversations, thank you note, simple gesture to my parents.
2. Be present every day.
   It is very easy to be distracted and you can miss a significant moment when someone is trying to tell you something important. Turn off the TV and put your smartphone in your purse or pocket. Look at the person and engage. When you are 100% there, that person realizes you care about them and will be thankful for your attention.In addition, when you are at a conference or in a meeting, really listen to the speaker’s message. By being there, you will be thankful for all that you heard, and it can possibly launch you from being a good leader to being a great one.
3. Practice Random Acts of Kindness at every turn.
   Here are some great ideas to focus on in the work environment:
   1. Stop negative conversations. Remember, negative conversations take as much energy (and sometimes more) than positive ones. Office drama and gossip can be draining. Instead, focus on the positive and thank your teammates for coming in on time and working hard for you.
   2. Surprise your employees. Thank them for making a difference by taking them to lunch, giving them a paid day off or doing something fun like hiking, bowling or playing a board game.
   3. Let your team know when they made a simple moment significant. It could be as easy as recognizing someone when they ask a fellow employee about their culture, bring a meal to a sick team member or complimenting someone on what they are wearing or how they look.

Jon Petz Wrote Significance in Simple Moments

Jon Petz has written his fourth book, Significance in Simple Moments to emphasis that the simple moments in life are the most significant. The mission of the book is to rekindle your passion for self-worth and understand you truly do have an amazing life.

Jon is also an inspirational speaker for corporate and association meetings all over the world. His diverse experience as a corporate executive, social experimenter and event emcee make him one of the most sought after speakers in these arenas. To learn more about Jon and speak to him directly, call him at 614.456.3072 today!