Gratiarum Actio
- 120325
- 2 minutes
Once again, we're approaching the season where we start to look back. All year, we've looked forward, planned ahead, and worked towards the future, but with the holiday spirit comes the opportunity to stop and reflect with joy and gratitude.
This Thanksgiving was a late one—Christmas is already just three weeks away!—but at FNA, we're trying to pause and linger in the spirit of gratitude that we felt last week.
Lately, we've been struck by gratitude and noticing the little things that define our day-to-day—the warmth of the bed in the morning, the smell of the coffee brewing as we finally get up, or the smile on the face of the barista that hands it to you, if that's your speed. How lucky we are to be here, today, right in the spot we've landed.
Those of us in the greater Cleveland area woke up Tuesday to the surprise of an overnight snowstorm. With that, of course, comes a list of extracurriculars: shovel a path in the driveway, start the car early, brush it off, drive extra carefully, etc. Perhaps it wasn't until we were well on our way that we realized how beautiful our small slice of the Midwest had become in just a few hours. It was like living in a Hallmark movie.
For most of us here at FNA, the moments for reflection last week came around some table: maybe the dinner table, the conference table, or the office desk. The common thread? There was always someone sitting right across from us. We all found that our gratitude centered around the people—not the circumstances—that shaped us. Perhaps our readers feel similar.
Studies show that practicing gratitude yields benefits: it strengthens mental and emotional well-being, improves relationships, and can even affect our physical health. Indeed, regularly expressing and feeling gratitude fulfills something deep within us that spills out in multi-faceted ways. Intrinsic to being human is the need for gratitude; we simply don’t function as well without it.
But much of life trains us to notice what's missing, what is unfinished, what didn't go according to plan. And for some of us, whether by nature or nuture, gratitude may just not be our default. Even still, consciously cultivating the practice of gratitude can, over time, grow into a natural part of who we are. Making an effort to share what we’re grateful for with others or committing these thoughts to paper each day can kickstart a routine that will help our minds incline less toward the negative, and more toward all the reasons we have to be grateful.
With a new season upon us—one so full of giving—there will surely be more opportunities for us to reflect on what we have and where we've been. The morning air continues to get more brisk and Ohio's migratory birds have gone south. Still, the good folks at FNA are going to take our time to gather around our tables and take time to be grateful, while thinking about how we are going to pay it forward.
We are grateful for our families, friends, and good health, of course. Additionally, this month we're especially grateful for the confidence of our clients, each of whom trusts us with the planning and management of their financial journeys. Thank you to each of you for your continued partnership and faith in our model and practice. Happy holidays to all!
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