As part of my journey to grow Champion Investment Properties, our commercial real estate investing business, I’ve realized that mindset is just as important as strategy. One practice that’s shaped how I lead and build relationships is gratitude—something I return to every morning.
Every morning, as I drink my coffee, I take a few minutes to write in my gratitude journal. It’s a simple practice, but it has been a keystone habit in my life for nearly six years.
Over time, I’ve learned that gratitude is the perfect antidote to negative emotions. Whenever I feel stress, frustration, or worry, shifting into a grateful state resets everything.
Gratitude changes my psychology - it grounds me, opens me up to possibilities, and helps me build stronger relationships.
I’ve experienced this in my personal life and in business. In commercial real estate, relationships are everything: with brokers, tenants, property managers, city officials, and partners.
Approaching those relationships from a place of gratitude changes the dynamic. It creates warmth, mutual appreciation, collaboration, and trust — and trust is the foundation for doing great work together.
One small tip I try to live by: always say “thank you.” In emails, in texts, in conversations - I make an intentional effort to include it. Sometimes I even say it more than once. It may feel small, but expressing gratitude in communication sets the right tone, strengthens relationships, and helps me maintain a grateful state.
I’ll be honest that I’m not always perfect at this. Like anyone, I have moments when I forget or let negativity or frustration take over. But I remind myself that gratitude isn’t only an action or a feeling. It’s a state of being I try to exude, even when I fall short. And the good news is, you can always reframe and shift back to gratitude in any moment.
While I’m definitely not an expert at this, my hope is that this writing inspires you to further explore whether gratitude can help you too.
My reflection: Gratitude is more than a practice — it’s a way of being. And like any habit, the more you return to it, the more it compounds.
- Do you have a gratitude practice that helps you start or end your day?
- How has gratitude shaped your relationships or your work?
And remember: Never give up. Always be better.