Every morning I do a breathing meditation based on Wim Hof’s method. This kind of breathing hyper-oxygenates the blood so that when you pause between rounds, you don’t have to breathe at all, and you’re able to sit in extraordinary stillness. It’s a moment when you can really see your own thoughts and feelings happening inside of you, and feel the space around them so they don’t control you. That’s when I say thanks. I name the people and places I’m grateful for. I speak their names aloud so that I can feel their names spoken in my chest.
—Chris Nicholson, CEO, co-founder, Skymind
I practice gratitude every day by actively thinking of all the things I am grateful for, and by acknowledging and being thankful to others for their contributions to my life.
—Annie Selke, founder, CEO, The Annie Selke Companies
I have to intentionally zoom out and look at the business from afar. When I do that rather than focus on the roadblocks, I am truly thankful for how far the business has come. I am also learning how to meditate, and this helps me be more focused. As I get better, I am able to concentrate on being in the moment, and that in turn helps me be more deliberate in my thoughts. Through these methods, I am able to appreciate all of the blessings I have in my life. I am also learning new ways to show compassion in my everyday life and that helps me be more optimistic, positive and grateful.
—Heather Ripley, CEO, founder, Ripley PR
I am fortunate to have a 6-year-old step-daughter who I adore. Every day, I am reminded of how lucky I am to spend time with her and the importance of being a positive role model in her life. I also make an effort to treat all of my employees as family, and everyday I am humbled with their respect and loyalty.
—Joe Gagliese, co-founder, managing partner, Viral Nation Inc.
I focus on sharing my experiences and learnings as an entrepreneur to benefit and inspire everyone around me. I am so grateful for everything I have learnt through my entrepreneurship journey and want other young entrepreneurs to learn from my mistakes and victories. I also make a conscious effort to express my thankfulness to employees, mentors, advisors and anyone who plays a role in my entrepreneurial journey.
—Sama Jashnani, co-founder, CEO, DownToDash
After every success or failure, I like to stop and understand how I got to this point. Gratitude keeps me humble after a success and gives me perspective after a failure.
—Derek J. Sine, managing director, Vander Group
Related: 3 Ways to Exercise Your Gratitude Muscle
This article originally appeared in the November 2017 issue of SUCCESS magazine.
