When Chris Schembra hosted a dinner party to show off his new pasta sauce recipe, he had no idea the conversation would lead him down a new career path. To foster connections, he asked his guests to name a person they had never thanked. If they could give more credit to someone, who would that be?
“What this question does so well is that you’re not asking a person a direct question about themselves,” Chris, now the founder of the 7:47 Gratitude Experience, says. “You’re giving them the opportunity to tell a story about someone else – a third-grade teacher, a childhood friend’s mom – so there’s not a lot of pressure.”
Chris, also author of Gratitude Through Hard Times and Gratitude and Pasta, says he realized he needed those lessons in gratitude himself. At the time, he was traveling around the world producing award-winning Broadway plays. But, despite his success, he still felt unfulfilled.
“Gratitude saved my life multiple times,” he says.
Through his 7:47 Gratitude Experience, Gratitude Through Hard Times podcast and books, Chris now teaches others how to draw out feelings of gratitude, which he says can be a powerful tool in times of adversity. Identifying and appreciating the lessons that come from a negative experience can help you cope with it and process trauma.
In today’s episode, Chris talks to Jamie about ways to practice gratitude at the Thanksgiving table beyond just naming things you’re thankful for, such as food and health. He also offers some suggestions for short meditation exercises that can help you refocus on positive thinking. Finally, he shares his thoughts on how freedom and practicing gratitude are connected.
Key Takeaways
- Advisors and leaders can help others understand how their adversity has led to positive lessons.
- To be grateful is to be grateful to someone, not just for something.
- Consider giving people an opportunity to tell a story instead of asking them direct questions about themselves.
- Gratitude can be a powerful tool to process difficult times.
Quote
“If you could give credit to any one person in your life that you don’t give enough credit or thanks to, who would that be?” – Chris Schembra
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