Thanksgiving Isn’t Just a Day. It’s a Practice.

Gratitude in action: how a simple thank you can transform work and relationships.

Yesterday, one of my newest clients said something that stopped me in my tracks. Through tears, she told me she had felt more relaxed on her vacation than she had in years because I was handling the chaos that popped up while she was away.

Normally, situations like that would have had her glued to her phone, stressed and exhausted. This time, she rested. She even joked that she could use six more of me so she could finally have a life outside her businesses.

And honestly, that kind of feedback hits deeper than any paycheck ever could. It makes me want to show up louder, better, and with even more heart.

It also made me think about how often the people holding everything together rarely hear a genuine thank you. Admins. Support staff. The ones making magic behind the scenes while everyone else gets the spotlight.

I’ve had bosses who spoiled me with flowers and hockey tickets and others who let Admin Appreciation Day float by like a forgotten memo.

But the moments that stayed with me were never about the gifts. They were about being looked in the eye and truly seen.

One memory that still lives in my heart is from my corporate days at ENMAX. I was a temp, training the person who was set to replace me when my contract ended.

I did it with patience, kindness, and zero bitterness. Turns out, she declined the role, and I got the job.

Later, the project manager, Ian Chatt, told me he’d been watching and was impressed by how I handled it. In a world where doing the right thing doesn’t always get noticed, that acknowledgement mattered. It still does.

As small business owners, we move fast. We fix, solve, juggle, and pivot. But this week, I want to pause and remember that gratitude isn’t just for Thanksgiving dinner tables. It’s for the people who make our lives steadier. The ones who ease the load. The ones who care.

Because of a simple, heartfelt thank you?

That’s not soft. That’s powerful.

And yes… it might just be the best productivity tool we have.