Tease Tips – Lessons in life, love and the art of tease

By Michelle L’amour

Give thanks.

Thank you. A simple phrase that expresses gratitude. Often it’s a throw away or an auto-pilot phrase but when you truly feel grateful, it is a powerful and overwhelming feeling.

For the past month or so, I’ve been trying to wake up with gratitude and go to bed with gratitude. I think about what I’m grateful for and I express it vocally. This is sometimes difficult when negativity is so pervasive in our world. I feel it’s so important right now to be intentional about your gratitude. It can be something so simple like, ‘I’m grateful for my coffee this morning’ or ‘I’m grateful that I have a bed to sleep in.’ It really does affect your whole mood and helps to frame things in a positive light.

Simply just saying thank you to the waiter for bringing you water is important and effective. Your parents always taught you to say ‘please and thank you’ and I feel that these phrases are disappearing from our language and interactions. Say thank you for opportunities. Did you just get booked for a show? Say thank you. And say it again when the show is finished. And send an email. I will tell you as a producer, appreciation goes a LONG way!

And showing gratitude towards your loved ones is also integral to happiness. Over the past few months, I’ve been battling some health issues and my friends and husband have just been so supportive that I’m overwhelmed by their love. I have thanked them so much for their support and their thoughtfulness and love is so touching. Overwhelming. Even though things have been hard for me and I’m really going through it emotionally, my friends and husband make me feel like the luckiest girl in the world.

As you approach this holiday season, think about the things you are truly grateful for and don’t forget to thank yourself. Showing gratitude for yourself and how you choose to take care of yourself is very important. Cultivate gratitude in every aspect of your life. Your perspective and mood will instantly improve!