Thanksgiving, Appreciation, and… A Little More Tigger

On more than one occasion – I’ll admit – I’ve been told I could use “a little more Tigger” in my life. In case you don’t remember or aren’t up on your Winnie the Pooh, Tigger is the ultimate optimist – energetic, cheerful, outgoing and confident.  Tigger is always positive. Unlike Tigger and more like Eeyore, I’ve been known to focus on problems or what I might be doing better or differently. It has taken me a long time (coincidentally surrounded by many Tigger-ish loved ones) to recognize when Eeyore comes knocking and to try to fend him off.

One tool that has been helpful for me in this effort – something our coaches use with clients in EARN’s Wealthcare program – is “Appreciative Inquiry,” or AI. In AI, we shift focus from the problem to what works well.  In other words, we don’t seek to fix what’s wrong; instead, we build on what’s right to create something truly exceptional – an exceptional relationship, team, process, or event. As coaches, we use AI to help our clients discover and build on their strengths and extraordinary capacity.

This Thursday, as we kick off the holiday season with Thanksgiving, many will toast to that in our lives for which we are grateful. Others will find it hard to be grateful or positive during these tough economic times. In either case, this may be a great opportunity to practice Appreciative Inquiry. We encourage you to think about how you want to remember this time. What do you truly appreciate about those around you? What is your favorite Thanksgiving memory? How could you build off of this memory? How might you take whatever is good or positive in your life now, harness it and create a Thanksgiving that you will look back on smiling? Channel your inner Tigger, focus on appreciation, and enjoy whatever your version of an abundant Thanksgiving holiday may be.

Using Appreciative Inquiry means changing the way we see things in order to foster positive change. While it is a powerful approach in the workplace, its principles can be used at home and beyond, too. For more information, check out the following links: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appreciative_inquiry and http://appreciativeinquiry.case.edu.

Until next time,

Emily Waterbury
Wealthcare Coach

Photo credit: modomatic