This article ran in the July issue of Carolina Business Woman.

Gratitude changes everything – including all aspects of our business. 

Through a conscious gratitude practice, we can attract more and better clients into our business.  Try this simple 3-part gratitude practice to help you find the perfect balance of clients you love, work you enjoy and the financial rewards you desire.

Step 1    You gotta walk the talk. 

If you’re going to use gratitude as a success strategy for your business, it must also be a success strategy for your life.  My personal practice is to write ten different things each day for which I am grateful.  I go deep – from my bones and muscles to toilet paper.  Look for a practice that resonates with you and follow these 2 simple rules:

1. “Practice” every single day. Feeling grateful is not like getting a college degree – once you have it it’s done.  Gratitude is a moment by moment experience.  To make it a part of your every day, you must practice every day.
2. FEEL the gratitude. Linger on each thing for which you are grateful until you really feel the gratitude.  Imagine your life without it to connect more deeply with the emotion.

Start this personal gratitude practice at the same time that you begin integrating more gratitude into your business.

Step 2    Identify what you appreciate most about current and former clients. 

Each day, spend five to ten minutes writing down what you appreciate most about one or more of your clients.  If you’ve had a negative experience with someone, then appreciate that client for showing you what you do not want and providing greater clarity for what you do want.

Step 3    Show your gratitude. 

At least once a day, express your gratitude to one of your clients for the value they bring not only to your business, but to their customers and community as well.  Make it personal and specific.

That’s it.  All free.  All fast.  All easy.  And all immensely powerful and effective in helping you build a successful business, strong client relationships and a happy, well-balanced life. 

Give it 30 days, and then share your results with us.