This year, November 25 was the official Thanksgiving Day in the US, and as expected, my social media feeds were filled with posts by friends and relatives celebrating that very meaningful American holiday.
Aside from photos of their Thanksgiving dinner, featuring the de rigueur roasted turkey as the star of the yearly feast, their genuine expressions of gratitude also put me in a grateful mood.
Here in the Philippines, there’s no such holiday, however we are blessed with a grateful culture nonetheless — thanks to the influence of our families and multi generations of families before them.
In general, Filipinos are warm, appreciative, and, more importantly, grateful.
Being grateful is important, especially in these pandemic times. Studies show that gratitude gives us physical and mental benefits. Grateful people have better health. They report feeling fewer aches and pains, they exercise more, and they are more likely to see their doctor for regular check-ups. And they sleep better, too.
The mental benefits are equally significant. Being thankful cleanses us of negative or toxic emotions such as anger, resentment, and frustration. Gratitude increases happiness, strengthens empathy, improves self-esteem, and enhances resilience.
During these extra challenging times, there are still many things to be grateful for, but let me highlight one that stood out in my book: I’m extremely grateful for the organization I’m connected with.
I know it’s a bit biased but let me mention three things why I’m grateful for BPI.
Vision. Leadership. Compassion.
- As a group, we aspire to build a better Philippines, one community, one family at a time. BPI continues to enable businesses and individuals with financial services that matter, serving as both lifeline for survival and enabler for growth and progress amid the pandemic.
- We have great leaders who show their gratitude to our employees and clients by walking the talk and standing by their posts — working hard side by side with the rest of the Bank’s personnel.
- Vaccines, flexible work arrangements, shuttles, and extra allowances are just some of the many reasons how BPI shows its employees that it genuinely cares for them.
As a communications and CSR professional, having an attitude of gratitude is essential if not paramount.
I think that in this day and age, showing gratitude is not just an act of hope but also a special tool for us to survive this pandemic.
Let’s try to appreciate and give thanks more often. Make everyday a “Thanksgiving Day”. We don’t need a holiday or turkey for that.
The author is the vice president and head of corporate affairs & communications of BPI and is concurrently the executive director of BPI Foundation
