Over the past several weeks, many opportunities for expressing gratitude have presented themselves professionally and personally, all of which I am grateful for and humbled by.

“Tis the damn season,” thank you, Taylor, for that lyric in which I probably overuse.

And remember, expressing gratitude provides many personal benefits including improving mood, and physical and mental health overall.

Gratitude for Professional Opportunities

1. Non-profit organization board position — I am on a board now that is making real differences in lives of others. I was recommended to serve on it. Having conversations with existing board members of that board has me so inspired, and I hope to share more in Q2 2026. There’s a process and I’m practicing patience.
2. Networking organization board position — An organization in which I have be a member of for a year is redefining its vision and mission. It is shaking up things a bit. Beginning in January 2026, I have been nominated and accepted to serve on this board too.
3. New client prospects — We have been referred to a growing business that is merging with another company to help them rebrand and develop a marketing plan for their new brand. In addition to this, we are pitching a professional services business in a category we love. Wahoo!

Gratitude for Personal Celebrations

1. My Daughter — She continues to bring so much joy in my life. She is into the performing arts, and will be on stage in November after a few months of rehearsals and valiant efforts. Her soccer season is coming to an end. And the goalie and leadership skills of this one on the field have made me so proud. “Where did she come from?” I often ask myself, amazed at her skills.
2. My Son – He has found a job that brings him opportunities for learning that align with an industry he’s passionate about. That’s a win-win. I am so grateful that he shares his work experiences with me. Often, we get to converse over numbers, trends, opportunities and more.
3. My Neighborhood Community — Coming off such a fun Halloween night where we gathered, added to our tribe and covered another mile or two. It was the best night in a while. So grateful!

How To Express Gratitude Professionally or Personally

1. Verbally — I hope I have taught my kids this. When someone does something for you, just simply say, “Thank you.” Also, you can elaborate on this and tell them specifically about the thing for which you are grateful.
2. Handwritten thank you notes — It is a lost art. But the impact is huge for the receiver and for me, the writer.
3. Cards or notes just because — It doesn’t have to be because someone has done something for you. Just sending a note of gratitude to those that enrich your life in some way means a lot.

Just a Few Additional Things for Which I am Expressing Gratitude

1. The Front Porch Marketing team — The best!
2. Our clients — We have the best and smartest.
3. Our Front Porch advocates — These extraordinary people continue to support our team and business. The tribe sends new connections our way, recommendsing us to make other brand’s rock and so much more.
4. This collaboration — Read more here
5. Our therapists — Times are challenging and each of my family members are coping with things. In addition, my daughter, who is autistic, needs support for communication and social skills in addition to sensory processing and self-regulating.
6. The Porter pets — I am grateful for Petunia who continues to make appearances on Teams and Zoom calls. And for Cale, the biggest fella, who is so patient and needy at times, but really is the best dog.

What are you grateful for? There are many things we would love to celebrate with you. Remember, “Tis the damn season.”

Like most people in the Dallas area, I have spent the past few days reeling from the destructive, unexpected storm that hit us over the weekend. The loud, powerful downburst morphed a sunny, beautiful sky into a threatening, frightening tempest that wreaked havoc on our landscapes and our lives.

It seems a particularly pertinent analogy for life’s tenuous nature. Occasionally, we are hit by an unexpected storm that knocks us down, be it personal, professional, or physical. Whatever the cause, the resulting derailment can cause us to feel simultaneously overwhelmed and paralyzed.

So what can we do to stay afloat?

Gut Check: What’s Important

When you’re moving through life unencumbered, it’s easy to try to be all things to all people and spread yourself too thin. When things get real, you no longer have the luxury or the responsibility. Check in with yourself and identify what your priorities are. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again … let everything else fall away.

Live Where You Are

Are you sad? Be sad. Angry? Relieved? Frustrated? Whatever it is you are feeling, let yourself feel it. When we try to fight against our feelings, it often leads to a longer, more drawn out suffering/healing cycle. You have to live where you are. You just do.

Just Start

Get going. You have things to do and a life to be lived. If it feels like you’re spinning, take 15 minutes and Brain Dump. Write down everything that comes to mind. No structure. No numbered lists or categories. Just write everything that comes to mind in a free flow fashion – you can make sense of it later.

Control What You Can Control

There is no greater thief than worry, so stop worrying about things you can’t change. Focus on controlling the little things in front of you. Make the  right decision before you, then make the next one. Then the one after that. Set yourself up for small successes – celebrations lighten the journey.

Have Grace

Life can be a beast so be kind to yourself and to others. It’s an instant mood-changer. Smile. Breathe. Look for the positive and the good. Gratitude improves every situation – there is always something to be thankful for.

Strength is the Silver Lining

Whatever has challenged you, knocked you down, or thrown you under will be the seed for tremendous growth. It may be hard to see, but one of life’s greatest gifts is the fact that life is difficult, because in dealing with life’s unexpected storm, we build invaluable strength.

Let it be your superpower.

We all recently celebrated Thanksgiving, spending the day focusing on what we’re grateful for. But it shouldn’t end there. Gratitude is not a moment, not a day, not a week, but a way of life.

There are obvious things to feel grateful about – food, shelter, family, friends. But don’t stop there. Be mindful. What does being grateful really mean? Where did the feeling come from?

According to The Gratitude Experiment, focusing on gratefulness and expressing gratitude raises our level of well-being and happiness. In an experiment, a test group was divided into three, with one group directed to journal gratitude, one group directed to journal the things that irritated them most during the day and one group was allowed to choose their focus. Not surprisingly, the group focusing on gratitude had a much greater sense of well-being. Statistics show that cultivating an attitude of gratitude increases overall happiness by 5%.

Dr. Robert Emmons, professor of psychology at University of California, Davis is leading a research team to quantify the causes of gratitude and its effect on health and well-being. They feel strongly that it begins with children. If we can raise grateful children, we are way ahead as a society.

Our friends at The Gem also focus on gratitude as part of their recommended daily regimen. It has a place of honor in the daily GEM journal distributed during their “Day in the Life” series. In fact, it is part of the mentality surrounding their brand. As an element of integrative nutrition and holistic living, gratitude is near and dear to the heart.

There is always something vying for our attention. The holidays bring commitments and distractions, professional to-do lists are ever-growing, our culture of connectivity brings with it no shortage of dismal world news, anxiety over the economy and political positioning, and the responsibilities of our home lives loom large. But take a moment at the end of each day and reflect on at least a couple of things to be grateful for. Some days it will pour out. Some days, you’ll be lucky to be thankful for the roof over your head. With practice, it becomes easier.

As a member of the rockin’ team on the Porch, we are actively and mindfully grateful for our wonderful clients and the chance to have an impact on their business and grow with them.

What are you grateful for?