📰 The Gratitude Grind📰

As the calendar flips to November, our to-do lists somehow get longer while the daylight gets shorter. Between year-end reports, family gatherings, holiday parties, client deliverables, and maybe a turkey or two in the oven, it’s easy to slip into survival mode. But before you power through on autopilot, take a moment to pause and reflect — not on what’s left to do, but on what’s already been done.

Let’s shift the narrative and call this month “The Gratitude Grind”: that sweet spot between growth and grace, where we choose to find joy even in the juggle. Because let’s be honest friends, building businesses and/or leading organizations takes heart, hustle, and a whole lot of caffeine. It also takes intention. Gratitude helps us zoom out, see the bigger picture, and remember why we started in the first place.

Here’s a quick exercise:
Take sixty seconds and write down one thing that’s working right now. Maybe your team is communicating better. Maybe a client finally saw the impact of your work. Or maybe, simply, you’re still standing, and that too worth celebrating. The small wins matter because they compound into momentum.

In a season that glorifies busy, gratitude invites balance. It softens the edges of burnout and helps us focus on what fuels us instead of what drains us. So as you move through November, try reframing your mindset from “I have to” to “I get to.”

You get to serve communities that rely on you.
You get to build a vision that didn’t exist before you.
You get to grow something meaningful and even if it’s messy, that’s okay

I want you to pause real quick and write out a list of 10 things you are grateful for in this moment….

What is on that list? They can be a mix of personal and professional. When reflecting on that list, what trends do you see and how did focusing on gratitude change your perspective?

To add a little inspiration and maybe some humor to your day, here are 10 things that I hope all of you are grateful for:

1) coffee- we all know the world needs us to be caffeinated to survive and thrive

2) Wifi- when it actually works so we can take meetings in pajama pants

3) the client who pays early- and we thank you for not having to chase you around

4) the fall weather cooling us down after a hot hot summer

5) a good ol’ pen and paper- to jot down your ideas, to do lists, or even scribble out your anger

6) the kids or animals- they love you even if they express their love in a love language different than yours

7) good friends- we have to not only pour into others but have people who want to pour into us too

8) rest- we as leaders may have a really hard time to do this but you cannot pour from an empty cup

9) a good book- can be a self help, romance, or whatever takes you away from a screen and lets you dive into the written word

10) the small moments- life goes fast and its the small daily moments with loved ones and making an impact that fill our cup and allow us to make a life worth living

As we close out 2025, take time to celebrate how far you’ve come. Gratitude doesn’t mean ignoring the hard stuff — it means recognizing the growth that came through it. It’s the difference between burnout and breakthrough.

So here’s your November challenge:

• Send one thank-you message to a partner, client, or teammate who’s made your work easier this year.

• Set one intentional goal for this month that aligns with your 2026 vision.

• And most importantly, schedule one guilt-free day to recharge.

This season isn’t about perfection — it’s about presence. When we lead from gratitude, we build from abundance, not exhaustion.

From all of us at Alo Civitas Consulting, thank you for the impact you create, the communities you nourish, and the purpose you lead with. Let’s finish this year grounded, grateful, and ready to grow.