Daily Leap Career Video of the Week: How to Create Daily Habits of Gratitude & Appreciation

Each week we present our Daily Leap Career Video of the Week. The video we share presents news or advice related to career and life development, searching for a job, the economy and employment, and other career-related topics.

In the video below, best-selling author and speaker Jack Canfield discusses the important of gratitude and provides tips for developing a daily practice of appreciation. Watch the video for more.

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: 3 Tips for Finding a Mentor

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share them so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

• 3 Tips for Finding a Mentor: "Many people seek out the most successful person they can -- but that’s a mistake. The best mentors are not loud, outspoken and quote-ready. They’re those who gain respect among peers."
• Learn 5 Mindsets of Highly Successful People: "Successful people know they have much more control over the trajectory of their lives than others realize."
• How You Can Tell if Your Boss Appreciates You: "Your participation in important and high-profile projects is a message from your boss about your importance to her team. If you’re as involved in the action as you want to be, then you are a key player on her squad."
• 6 Habits of Managers Who Have Loyal Employees: "Ultimately, employees appreciate it when their manager makes the effort to think thoughtfully about what they have to say. Beyond the recognition gesture itself, this creates emotional connections."
• 2-Minute Habits That Will Make You Feel Better at Work: "To put this into practice in the office, each night before bed, spend two minutes identifying and writing down your top five 'non-negotiable' goals that you want to achieve the next day at work."

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: Is Your LinkedIn Profile Up to Date?

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share these every weekend so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

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• 9 Reasons You Must Update Your LinkedIn Profile Today: "All kinds of people use all kinds of ways to learn about you. LinkedIn gives you an opportunity to control what they discover about your strengths and, more important, about your brand."

• 3 Ways to Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile: "By simply beginning a conversation at appropriate moments, you keep your relationships real. This is what networking is all about."                                                      
• Reduce Your Stress in Two Minutes a Day: "Evidence ... suggest(s) knowledge workers check email as much as 36 times an hour. The result is increased stress. Giving each activity your undivided attention ensures you’re in the moment and fully living that experience."


• The Profit in Principles: "When it comes to core principles, those are the words you should constantly review, whether they are the principles of your company or your own personal rules for life."


• To Grow in Business and In Life, Show Gratitude and Appreciation: "The foundation of asset management is gratitude. If you’re grateful for something then you’ll appreciate it; if you appreciate something then you’ll care for it."

Four Groups to Thank to Enhance your Success

Creating an attitude of gratitude isn't hokey, contrived nonsense. Research into appreciation has shown it to help improve one's sleep and positively influence behavior. Since the season of giving thanks is upon us, consider reaching out with gratitude and appreciation to these groups to make a positive impact on your career.

Mentors: No one succeeds by themselves, and you are no exception. Think about those who have helped propel you to where you are today-whether it was a college professor, former supervisor, or a friend-and send them a note or an email or a gift to thank them for the help that they have given you.

Interviewers: It's expected that you would send a thank you note to an interviewer after an interview, but what about after a job rejection? Though you are most likely experiencing disappointment and frustration, change your outlook by sending another note to thank the interviewer for the opportunity and wishing the selected candidate success in the future. Doing so will highlight your graciousness as a candidate and could lead to future opportunities with that organization.

Your network: When looking for a position you should obviously attend networking events. Send a quick email to thank those who you chatted with for their time, offering any assistance that they may need or-if none is needed-let them know that you are interested in staying in touch.

Your community: There are many ways that you can give thanks to your community. First, you can volunteer at an organization that is in need of assistance and could best utilize your skills. Another way would be to teach a class through your local community education. The interactions you will have and the good-will you create will be a much-needed boost for you while serving those other than yourself.

Make the choice to give thanks to others this season and help yourself in the process.