Give Thanks. Studies Show it Will Make You Happier!

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While we all know the importance of gratitude, did you know that it can actually make you happier? In positive psychology research, gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude can help people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity and build strong relationships. This is all very good news for the folks at Burns who have made “We practice gratitude,” one of their top core values.  

How Does Burns Practice Gratitude?

So, what does gratitude mean for Burns? According to Braydan Shaw, Burns’ 6th-generation-owner, it means many things. It means:

• We always verbalize our appreciation to others. 
• We regularly carry out and perform acts of kindness for our team members, clients, and partners. 
• We go out of our way to let others know we are truly grateful for the opportunities we have been given, the challenges and obstacles we face, and the growth we experience together along the way.   
• We build in time during our weekly team meetings to verbally express gratitude for our teammates, members on other teams, clients, and partners.
• When a supplier goes the extra mile to make sure we have the raw materials we need, we express gratitude by sending their entire team lunch.
• We try to end every client interaction by thanking them for supporting our family business, and we are very grateful for our wonderful clients and collectors because if they didn’t believe in our products and our company, we would not be able to keep pressing forward.
• We practice gratitude for the many craftsmen/women of the leather industry by sharing their stories with others in ShopTalk! magazine. 
• We practice gratitude by sharing our knowledge with aspiring craftsmen/women eager to learn our trade.

Practicing gratitude is just at the center of the Burns culture. 

“We’re extremely grateful to be part of the western industry and do our part to keep the Spirit of the West alive,” Shaw says. “We’re humbled and grateful for the sacrifices of our progenitors, the many decisions they made to move forward, their innovation to know when to pivot when times demanded a change, and for their courageous acts. These have all given us a firm foundation on which to grow.”

What Does Gratitude Do?

Practicing gratitude and recognizing its team members and suppliers is what helps to make Burns successful and its days more rewarding. It helps them to maintain a humble and appreciative spirit.

Psychology Today reports that additional benefits of gratitude include:

• Enhanced empathy and reduced aggression
• Better sleep
• Greater self esteem
• More mental strength

“Ultimately, we’re grateful for those working next to us now and for those who will work to make our next 146 years even more successful than the last,” Shaw says.

So, are you ready to pump up your happiness fitness? Let us know how you like to practice gratitude. That’ll make us happy. 😊