As speakers, practicing gratitude can strengthen your overall communication.
Probably because Thanksgiving occurs at the end of this month, we often associate this month with gratitude. I would venture to say that most of us are more attuned and likely aware of the benefits of gratitude.
However, there are a range of lesser-known benefits that gratitude offers that can enhance our effectiveness, authenticity, and resilience. Here are some key benefits and how they might apply to our communications and public speaking.
3 Key Benefits of Practicing Gratitude:
1. Improves Adaptability and Resilience
Gratitude strengthens mental flexibility, making it easier to navigate and adapt to unexpected situations.
Gratitude is linked to increased dopamine production, which supports problem-solving and emotional resilience. Speakers who cultivate gratitude may find it easier to handle technical issues, an unexpected question from the audience, or conflicting viewpoints in a conversation.
Practicing gratitude before an event can help foster a flexible mindset and greater calm when faced with disruptions.
2. Enhances Audience Connection
Gratitude fosters empathy, which can improve your ability to connect with an audience by making your messages resonate on an emotional level.
A regular gratitude practice makes people more present and genuine, which translates as authenticity—a trait audiences appreciate. Sharing personal anecdotes of gratitude, either toward the audience or through the stories we tell, can also make us more relatable to our audiences.
A phrase that can be useful to show appreciation, especially when there is conflict or differing perspectives, is “What I like about that is…”. Finding a positive attribute about what was said can pivot a conversation in a good way.
3. Strengthens Focus and Creativity
Gratitude has been shown to improve focus by lowering stress levels and promoting a positive mental state which catalyzes creativity. This makes it easier to engage in deeper thinking and find your unique angle or perspective on your topic.
Practicing gratitude before speaking to an audience can remind you that you are in service of your audience, reduce nervousness, and increase one’s presence. This enables you to better read the room, pick up on nonverbal cues like body language or energy shifts, and adjust your delivery accordingly.
Gratitude Changes Everything
Speakers and communicators who regularly practice gratitude can enhance their presentations, making them not only more memorable but also more impactful and enjoyable for both themselves and their audiences.
Do you have a gratitude ritual before you speak? What are you grateful for? I’d love to know, so please connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonjastetzler/
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