The End of Thankruptcy
No-one is taking anything for granted anymore. Call it an unintended consequence or a return to a simpler, downsized time. Or realistically call it a collective sense of pain sharing, where even the little things once again mean a lot. We need to look at these times with a different perspective. Because of having to pay attention to small money and yes, the small little nothings, we are actually getting bailed out of what I am calling thankruptcy! No Stimulus debate required.
It seems for too many years people took for granted even the easiest stuff like giving thanks and saying thanks. Being thankful, except maybe in the religious prayer sense, was not on the top of the list for most people. It’s not a judgment thing; it’s more about the lives we led. Always buying, running, getting and maybe being a little too busy to realize just how good we had it. And, consequently to stop, breathe and share that gratitude with the people along the way. In a Feb. 2009 Reader’s Digest had an article “10 Reasons to be Thankful”, the #1 reason to be thankful turns out simply to be we have more free time than at anytime in history. Nearly five hours a day, an increase of an hour since 1965 according to the US Census Bureau. The article reported by 2050 the average industrialized work week will be 27 hours! Less time working, more time doing whatever we want. So, besides the economy (or because of it) we now really do have the time to be thankful.
I don’t think there is a more important human trait than the importance of being thankful, as well as, the ability to authentically and therefore, meaningfully express it. In The Last Lecture, the National Bestseller by the late Randy Pausch he touched a cord so deep because he was living life, as he was dying, with incredible gratitude. In fact, chapter 44 in his book is titled “Show Gratitude”. Many people, especially young people, the so called “Millennial Generation” are perceived to be approaching life from a perspective of entitlement, not appreciation. This generation is characterized by the belief that the lives they lead are simply theirs and they don’t have to be earned or necessarily thankful for them. As in any broad characterization, there usually lies some truth, though I have met so many college and recent workforce entries who you would think are from the greatest generation ever. The irony of talking about people like my Dad- an earned /charter member of the Greatest Generation that served in the Second World War is they feel no sense of entitlement. And, when the subject gets to actual entitlements as in earned benefits like Social Security or Medicare they are the epitome of thankfulness. But thankfulness with teeth as in services “mutually rendered” and as in “repayment” verse how a lot of people use the word, “entitlement” today.
While the saying “we all have reason(s) to be thankful” is being tested more and more each day given the ravages on jobs and home losses, regardless of where you fall in the food chain of society, everyone is seemingly taking a hit. Losing your ability to pay for your family’s food or losing your house and having it compounded by getting little compassion from employers or bankers, is its own kind of “thankruptcy”. Nonetheless, people are clearly more thankful for the people and important things they still have in their life. According to a 2008 Research Project on Gratitude and Thankfulness by the University of California, Davis "grateful individuals place less importance on material goods; they are less likely to judge their own and others success in terms of possessions accumulated; they are less envious of others; and are more likely to share their possessions with others relative to less grateful persons".
The “gratitude project” kind of says what makes this time so remarkable. Given most everyone is getting slammed, you would think “thanks but, literally, no thanks” would rule…but it couldn't be further from the truth. Gratitude is in the air. Personal acts of thankfulness are booming from making and sending homemade gifts to donating winter clothes. In fact, according to the Craft and Hobby Association, the “hands on” personal expression industry has grown into a $30 billion dollar annual business. In times of misery and almost unbearable living conditions people come together and get through it stronger than they were before. Examples include how Great Britain responded to the never ending German bombings in the Second World War and how people came together from around the world after 911. Misery doesn’t love company, it craves appreciation and maybe, possibly recognition. Not recognition in terms of medals or parades (not that there is anything wrong with these), but in terms of our humanity. Surviving and adapting to tough times are what we as humans have been able to do better than any other living creature ever, in the history of our planetary life.
It is easy to lose sight of thankfulness during the good times because we are too busy enjoying our good lives. Like Bobby McFerrin says, “Don’t worry, be happy.” And with that, everyday appreciation comes, or so it seems, in a distant second. It’s not a New York thing or an Atlanta Southern thing - it’s the times.
I’ve only lived, as many of us have in pretty good times and until recently really great times and for the most part people took for granted that it would simply continue. The only thing that’s seems certain according to the previously mentioned Reader’s Digest top reasons to be thankful is number 10: the ability to keep memories alive. Through digital means, memory related drugs and other techniques, we all will be able to count on and remember our blessings without skipping a beat!
Let me end this note on ending “thankruptcy” by saying to CEO’s or managers who are letting people go and impacting their lives to show some serious gratitude, respect and a level of thankfulness on the way out. It doesn’t take much to treat people with the appreciation they deserve for everything they did on behalf of your company. Any business leader would do well following the lead of Doug Conant, CEO of Campbell Soup Company. He has been celebrated in the WSJ, Business Week as the consummate “gratitude” provider, writing and sending thousands of letters to employees and partners. In the July/August 2008 Harvard Business Review he captured the true insight into the issue: “You can’t talk your way out of something you behaved your way into. You have to behave your way out of it.”
Yesterday, I had my annual nuclear stress test. I have been very fortunate to have had remarkable medical care. I did my best to ensure Nurse Nancy, my “annual partner” in the test felt my gratitude. While, i’ll let the nuclear stress results speak for themselves (fingers crossed), hopefully, I passed the "other test" of the day (love you Wetchester Cardiology Associates!)
Enjoy and remember, thanks, a lot!
Please note: Given friends and associates have expressed real interest in this idea of “thankfulness”, I have created “thankrupt.com” as a blog forum to have people share their stories of gratitude (or the lack of it) in the world today. Stay tuned, i hope to activate shortly.