Gratitude is everywhere this time of year.

Especially online. I’ve seen posts on Facebook every day since Nov 1st (it’s that 30 Days of Gratitude thing). Twitter is clogged with #Gratitude tweets. And today, multiple posts around the blogosphere hit my RSS feed.

There was Copyblogger’s 2011 Gratitude List, Big Girl Branding’s Turkey Day for Dorks, and this one on HuffingtonPost. I’m sure you can relate.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m up to my eyebrows with gratitude for whole bunches of people, opportunities, adventures and experiences. This has been a pretty dang spectacular year, to be sure. But it’s gone by so fast. And I know you feel it, too. Thank goodness we’ve all collectively given ourselves one day a year to stop and count our blessings.

But is that enough?

Tomorrow is all about the Turkey

(And the football.) Flocks of turkeys everywhere have long been slaughtered and quick-frozen for our cooking convenience. Their time is up. Tomorrow — if we’re lucky — you and I will spend hours preparing and eating those birds. And sharing precious minutes with our loved ones — either around the table, or on the phone.

I hate to break it to you, but the turkey’s not really that important. Thousands will be eating tofurkey, or even bologna sandwiches. We all know that what matters are the people in our lives. Relationships are what makes this world go round. You and I can’t possibly know who we are, can’t possibly learn and grow, and can’t possibly experience joy or sorrow without other people there to help us along.

We are the 100%

Even if you don’t agree with the Occupy Wall Street protests, as a reader of this blog, it’s highly likely that you’re not in the top 1% of earners. (Story Bistro works with the small (usually solo) business owner, not the major corporations!) But guess what — you and I and the guy who does make a bazillion dollars are actually ONE organism.

What we do as individuals matters to the whole. And as a business owner, how you operate your business matters to the world.

You might be a bitty little gal right now. But if you’re lucky and smart (and you want it to happen), you’ll grow your business into something BIG. Maybe even big enough to occupy that top 1%. And then ((gasp!)) you’d be one of those nasty corporations. 

Guess what? Corporations aren’t evil. And we need to collectively stop using that language if we ever want to see real change. (Remember: What you think about, grows!)

Be Grateful and Visualize

So how do you feel about the state of the world today? Are you totally grateful for the way things are? Or, would you like to change up a few things?

I know that we usually don’t start thinking about setting goals until New Years, but I’m a big believer in “There’s no time like the present.” So take a few minutes tomorrow to soak up all that gratitude. Count your blessings, yes! And then add this little ditty to your dining tradition: Share your vision for what you’d like to change with your friends and family.

Have some fun and giggle a little. Use the power of relationships to move us ALL forward. Collective visioning is one of the most powerful things we can do as humans.

Your ideas + her ideas + his ideas + mine = some mighty powerful juju. And the more folks you have sitting around the table, the more creative you’ll be.

When you’re done eating and your pants are properly loosened, sit quietly and write a few things down for yourself and your business. What would you like to be grateful for this time next year? How will your little business make a difference?

If you’re not shopping on Friday, come on back and share a little of your genius with the rest of us. We’d love to hear your plans!