Gratitude Isn't Over: How Leaders Stay Grounded After Thanksgiving
Nov 30, 2025
I hope you enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving. I’m incredibly grateful that we got to celebrate it with our son who works in the ski industry in Park City, Utah. We didn’t get any snow until our last day but we had the one thing I wanted more than anything else…time together. I’m still getting used to having our only child but grown and out on his own…. far from home. We raised a strong, independent young man. That was the goal, but as an empty nester, I’m rethinking that a bit. I wish he lived closer and we had more opportunities to create new memories. This blog is inspired by our time together.
Thanksgiving may be over, but the need for gratitude definitely isn’t. In fact, this stretch between Thanksgiving, and the end of the year can be one of the most stressful seasons for many leaders. Budgets are closing. Teams are tired. Families are juggling a thousand commitments. And perfection? The desire for it is lurking everywhere.
That’s exactly why gratitude matters now more than ever.
Gratitude isn’t just a nice idea. It’s a leadership strategy. It grounds us, widens our perspective, and helps us show up as our best selves, both at work and at home. Here are three simple ways to keep gratitude alive long after the Thanksgiving leftovers are gone.
1. Look for “Micro-Moments” of Joy
Gratitude doesn’t always come wrapped in grand gestures or big accomplishments. Most of the time, it hides in tiny, ordinary moments we rush past:
- that first sip of morning coffee
- a quiet car ride
- a conversation with someone you care about
- the glow of holiday lights
- a moment of laughter in the middle of a busy day
Over our time with our son, my favorite moment was sitting at the table playing Christmas Trivia. RJ is the master at it. Or at least he thinks so until he spars with his dad who is truly the “Kind of Trivia.” Pops won the night, but we all experienced a micro moment of “JOY.”
When you intentionally look for these micro-moments, something powerful happens. You shift from managing the day to experiencing it. As leaders, we need that shift. It keeps us grounded and prevents stress from becoming our default operating system.
Micro-moments remind us that joy isn’t rare. It too often goes unnoticed.
2. Practice “Gratitude in Motion”
It’s easy to think of gratitude as something we feel but the holidays invite us to turn it into something we do. This is where gratitude becomes a leadership multiplier.
Gratitude in motion might look like:
- sending a short, handwritten note
- thanking someone who’s rarely noticed
- offering a sincere compliment to a coworker or stranger
- giving your time or attention to someone who needs it
- donating something you no longer use
Expressing gratitude boosts your own well-being but it also strengthens relationships, increases trust, and lifts the emotional climate around you. Leaders who practice gratitude in motion don’t just feel grateful, they create environments where gratitude grows.
And the best part? These small actions take almost no time but create disproportionate impact.
3. Choose Presence Over Perfection
If there’s one trap leaders and families fall into during the holidays, it’s the trap of perfection. We want to create flawless experiences, deliver impeccable results, and show up for everyone in every way. I’m so incredibly guilty of this when it comes to visiting our son. I have the perfect “Hallmark Movie” in mind of how our time will be together. Unfortunately, I end up screwing it up with my unrealistic expectations. I’ve been a recovering perfectionist for decades.
But gratitude thrives when perfection shrinks.
This season, challenge yourself to let go of one expectation just one. Maybe it’s the perfect holiday schedule. Maybe it’s the flawless family gathering. Maybe it’s the pressure to finish every work project before year-end.
When you release even one “should,” you create space for presence. And presence is one of the most powerful expressions of gratitude you can offer to yourself and everyone around you.
Being fully present tells people, “You matter. This moment matters. I’m here.” During our time in Utah for me it was just waking up under the same roof as our son. I miss having those moments every day, but I’m grateful that I was fully present for them last week.
The Bottom Line: Gratitude Is a Choice—Especially Now
When we look for joy, express gratitude through action, and choose presence over perfection, we don’t just create a more meaningful holiday season; we become better leaders in the process.
Gratitude isn’t seasonal. It’s strategic and it’s one of the few tools that help us lead well at work and at home. So even though Thanksgiving has passed, keep gratitude close.
You’ll feel better.
You’ll lead better.
And the people around you will experience the ripple effect of your intentionality.