Raise your hand if you cringe just a little bit when people hit “reply all” on company-wide emails. Â I’m glad to see we’re in agreement. Â In case you didn’t know, the holidays are the one time each year where “thread etiquette” goes out the window.
In a recent company-wide email, I asked everyone to hit the dreaded reply all button and complete the following sentence:
I am thankful for…
These are four powerful words followed by a profound little view into the lives of each of my colleagues.  Our thread is up to 28 and counting.  The responses have been amazing.  Some folks expressed gratitude for one thing while others listed twenty.  Family, friends, coworkers, customers, pets, health, life and love all top the list.
Even still, others caught us off guard. Â At least one person was thankful for me (flattered). Â Others were grateful that they no longer have to use the Oxford comma and that fizzy water abounds in the refrigerator at Phone.com. Â Last but not least, there’s the Ewok dog on a treadmill.
Allow me to highlight the common thread if you haven’t seen it yet.  Were you to look in a thesaurus at the word “thankful,” you would not find words like angry, sad or depressed.  Being thankful is calling to mind everything that is good about our lives.  If it’s been one of those years, you may have to dig a little deeper and that’s ok.
The point of this exercise is to remember that we have much to be thankful for, and it is made so much more powerful when we share that with those around us.  On that note, can I interest you in completing the following sentence?
I am thankful for…
Happy Thanksgiving!
