Next week is Thanksgiving. It’s a day for families to gather, often overeat, and sometimes watch football. Isn’t it interesting that the first three things I think of have nothing to do with being thankful!

Gratitude can change your world. Have you ever met people who seem to have no apparent reason to be thankful, yet they are smiling, grateful for the sunny day and the little that they have? There might be no food for next week’s meals, no money for heat or new clothes for their children. But you wouldn’t know it by their conversation or facial expression.

Oprah Winfrey recommends that everyone start a Gratitude Journal. Each day make a list of what you’re thankful for. There’s always something. After a few days of being mindful of how lucky you are, watch all those doom and gloom thoughts begin to fade away.

In the same way individual gratitude can change your own world, an entire company’s culture can quickly become a culture of recognition—of giving thanks. I’m not talking about Employee of the Month programs. I’m talking about genuine gratitude that is expressed to the people who work for you—just a kind word, an acknowledgement of the quality of someone’s work, a simple thank you for following through. It doesn’t matter who you are, a thank you brightens your day. And guess what, it brightens the day of the person delivering the thank you as well. What a bonus!

So, Happy Thanksgiving! And may I invite you this holiday season, to establish an Attitude of Gratitude. You may be surprised at what sincere thankfulness can do, both to you and those around you.