Can the Business of Gratitude Be Conducted in 140 Characters?

Two Businesswomen Meet Through Twitter and Form an Alliance of Gratitude

(July 27, 2009) – In today’s economy, you might think that appreciation, or the concept of being grateful for all that you have despite what you’ve lost, might be a tough sell. Well, you would be wrong.

Two women entrepreneurs, who found each other a few months ago on Twitter of all places, are now working together to promote their gratitude based businesses. Lori Saitz’s company makes The Gratitude Cookie™ www.GratitudeCookie.com. Deanna Collins is known for the Gratitude Collection©, an inspirational line of jewelry and apparel devoted to gratitude www.thegratitudecircle.net.

“Gratitude, being appreciative, and recognizing the good in life is a concept that resonates with millions of people right now,” says Collins, co-founder of JDDesigns, which makes The Gratitude Collection. “From a spiritual standpoint, people are tired of the gloom and doom and are longing to connect in a more meaningful way.”

“Most people KNOW that feeling grateful is a key to success,” explained Saitz, founder and chief executive of Zen Rabbit Baking Company. “The challenge is calling up that feeling when you’re stuck in traffic, paying the bills and generally living your daily life. Companies that help people tap into that grateful place on a more regular basis are doing very well right now.”

In her book, “Thank You Power: Making The Science Of Gratitude Work For You,” Deborah Norville talks about her belief that life is about having “meaningful connections with the people around us.” When you do something for someone else, you feel good, they feel good and the chain of gratitude continues.  It’s a ripple effect – Saitz and Collins couldn’t agree more and see that in the impact their businesses have helping to create that ripple of gratitude.

A practice of gratitude, which seems like such a simple concept, can have tremendous benefits.

Robert Emmons (University of California – Davis), editor in chief of the Journal of Positive Psychology, says in his book “Thanks! How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier” that simply keeping a gratitude journal for as little as three weeks can result in better sleep and more energy.

The Research Project on Gratitude and Thankfulness, conducted by Emmons and Michael McCullough, (University of Miami) has shown that grateful people have higher levels of positive emotion, life satisfaction, vitality, optimism and lower levels of depression and stress.

“It’s really obvious the incredible impact an attitude of gratitude has on your well being,” Collins noted.

“We see it everyday in our work – sharing gratitude, it’s importance and the effect it has on those who feel it, believe it, and share it,” says Saitz.

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Zen Rabbit Baking Company, founded in 2003 by Chief Executive Rabbit Lori Saitz, makes the world famous Gratitude Cookie™ and Zen Crunch™. The company exists to educate people about the power of gratitude and inspire them to express appreciation for their valued relationships throughout the year. Zen Rabbit supports the efforts of organizations making a difference in worldwide literacy and animal welfare through the donation of a percentage of profits. To sign up for F.R.E.E. “Gratuities-Tips on Bringing More Joy to Your Life” and learn more about The Gratitude Cookie™ visit www.GratitudeCookie.com or www.RabbitRouser.com.

JDDesigns, creator of the Gratitude Collection, was founded in 2007 by Deanna Collins.  The Gratitude Circle, the online community for the Gratitude Collection, aims to become the premiere online resource for inspiration and merchandise that cultivate a positive outlook on life and create opportunities for people to share their personal stories of gratitude.  JDDesigns is proud to showcase Kazuri beads in the collection.  Kazuri, a fair trade organization, provides employment for several hundred needy people, especially women.  It has created a source of income for many women who would otherwise have had few options to provide for themselves and their families, including many women with disabilities, single mothers, and women widowed by the Aids epidemic that has swept through Africa. To receive your FREE e-course on “Creating a Practice of Gratitude,” the Gratitude Circle Newsletter and learn more about the Gratitude Collection, visit www.thegratitudecircle.net