At The Impact Group, we are passionate about fostering growth and success through the simple yet profound practice of gratitude. Dr. Melissa Trussell, Associate Professor of Economics at the College of Coastal Georgia, recently wrote an article for The Brunswick News that vividly illustrates this concept, inspired by a session with Impact Group Partner and co-author of “Appreciology: The Art & Science of Appreciation,” Tom Speaks. In his visit to the college, Tom shared valuable insights from “Appreciology,” with department staff demonstrating how conscious appreciation can lead to meaningful transformations in our personal and professional lives.

Check out her insights below.

We can change the world around us by noticing it

By MELISSA TRUSSELL From the Murphy Center
Oct 16, 2024 | The Brunswick News

I had a big birthday last week. The kind where you enter a new decade of life. So, my last several weeks have been characterized by reflection and introspection. A strong theme has emerged — gratitude.

It’s kind of cool that as I was approaching and reflecting on this personal milestone, Interim President Evans challenged all Coastal employees to make this academic year a year of gratitude. Dr. Evans invited Tom Speaks, co-author of the book Appreciology, to campus in August to engage our campus community in conversations around cultivating a culture of appreciation and gratitude. A primary takeaway for me from his visit was a loose definition of appreciation as “noticing.”

I’m trying it — slowing down, noticing. And, I find — as Tom Speaks teaches — that a natural response to the noticing is gratitude for what I notice.

I am grateful the physical needs of my family are met. We have food, housing, transportation, etc. I am equally grateful for the ways in which I notice the emotional and social needs of myself and my family being met.

Here are a few things I’ve noticed just in the last 7 days:

• My parents and grandparents deeply love my son and invest in him in intentional, life-giving ways.
• Friends I met decades ago remain close and connected with my family.
• My faith community shows up for my family and me, actively loving us in countless tangible and intangible ways.
• I am valued and supported by colleagues who make work uplifting.
• The work I do is meaningful and fulfilling, and my students recognize and reciprocate my care for them.
• I have been guided in life by mentors who have been intentional about helping to mold me into the economist, educator, friend, mother, person I was created to be.

I could go on and on about the good things my family, friends, and coworkers bring to my life. I have good people. But, what business does an economist have with all this mushy, gratitude stuff, and why is it the subject of a column such as this? It turns out, gratitude is of great economic significance. Financial advisors find that individuals who express more gratitude for what they have are less likely to make big mistakes with their personal finances. In addition, grateful people are healthier and happier. My colleagues and I have written in the space before about the effects of a mental health crisis on our society in general and on our workplaces more specifically. A meta-analysis of 64 randomized clinical trials, published last year, found that the intentional practice of gratitude — noticing — significantly decreased symptoms of anxiety and depression while also improving patients’ overall moods.

But practicing gratitude does more than just lift one’s own spirits. If shared, it can shift the mood (and productivity) of those around you. CNBC reported in 2019 that 60% of employees are more motivated by recognition than by money, but 82% believe their supervisor does not appreciate them for what they do. At the same time, feeling unappreciated was cited as a reason for quitting by 79% of those who quit their jobs.

Imagine the impact in our own lives if we took more time to notice and be grateful. What if we could change our world simply by noticing it?

And imagine the impact on our workplaces and the economy more broadly if we took more time to express aloud our gratitude for the people around us and the work they do. On average, replacing an employee costs 1.5 to 2 times that employee’s annual salary. What if keeping them costs only a “thank you?”

Let’s not just imagine the impact of gratitude on the world around us. I invite you to join me in becoming more intentional about the practice of noticing.

Thank you for reading our weekly columns. We notice, and we are grateful.

Finding gratitude is more than a personal milestone to achieve, but a powerful leadership tool for improving your company culture.

Schedule a meeting with Tom Speaks and our team to learn how to cultivate a culture of appreciation that not only enhances personal fulfillment but also propels your organization toward greater success. Let’s work together to harness the power of gratitude.