It’s that time of year to be grateful. Do you know that the act of expressing gratitude can actually make you feel better? It’s been linked to improving sleep, mood, pain and immunity. If you could put this into a pill, everyone would take it! As my year as President comes to a close, I want to share how grateful I am for having had the opportunity to lead our association. This year has been filled with new experiences, meeting new people and learning lots of new things. I’m very proud to be a part of KCRAR. As I have traveled to meetings and met new people from different parts of Kansas, Missouri, the US and even other countries, I have realized just what a wonderful association we have in the Kansas City Regional Association of REALTORS®. In meeting many other leaders across the nation, I realized so many benefits we receive and take for granted aren’t offered most places. I am so proud of the array of benefits our association offers that allows us to succeed in our businesses, advocate for homeownership and allows us to call ourselves REALTORS®.
When you are wrapped up in negotiations, or out showing houses, you may find that showing gratitude can be surprisingly difficult. Many of us get caught up in negativity, worrying about bad news and unpleasant experiences, and allow our positivity to fade into the background. The great thing is that gratitude is like a muscle that you can build. With the focus and thought, you can find at least one small thing to appreciate every day. The idea of cultivating gratitude might sound silly, but research has shown that it can have real benefits. You can use gratitude to uplift your mood, get away from negativity, build stronger relationships, and even change the way you look at yourself. A few things to try: Practice mindfulness, keep a journal, write notes of appreciation, appreciate the beauty of nature, smile at other people.
As we all proceed into the end of the year, looking back at the past year helps guide us into the new one. What are you grateful for? Who are you grateful for? I am truly grateful for each one of our members, and I am so grateful to have had the honor to be the president of this association in 2023. Thank you <3
