Gratitude - Lisa D. Foster, Leadership Coaching & Training

Gratitude is a powerful way to improve almost any situation or relationship. Every year in November, I offer my readers 30 days of gratitude in My Gratitude Project.

Empathy validation compassion for My Gratitude Project

Healing with Empathy: When Listening Opens the Door | My Gratitude Project Day 22

November 22, 2025

Gratitude Project

Even in the toughest moments, healing with empathy can open a door. Recently, I counseled a client to try healing with empathy. For confidentiality, I won’t go into details, only to say that she wanted to repair a badly broken relationship. It wasn’t her fault. The whole situation was difficult and messy, involving trauma, addiction, blaming, half-truths, and bald-faced lies. It was not going to be easy, and she understood that, but it was her best shot if there was…

Empathy in Coaching: A Story of Healing and Growth | My Gratitude Project Day 20

November 20, 2025

Gratitude Project

Personally, I use empathy in coaching daily. I’ve found empathy in coaching helps the little problems and the little ones. I had a client not too long ago who needed a lot of empathy. When our first session opened, she was in tears. She was managing a complex project with many delays and difficulties, and the process had turned toxic. Professional norms had broken down, and it had become normal to yell and scream and blame throughout meetings. I thought…

Conflict and Empathy: The Key to Real Change | My Gratitude Project Day 19

November 19, 2025

Gratitude Project

Conflict and empathy: usually empathy is more effective. If you’re gearing up for conflict and empathy crosses you mind, what should you do? Instead of conflict, try empathy. I know what you are thinking. If you want to fight, the last thing you want to do is empathize. So, ask yourself, do you want to fight or do you want results? Conflict comes from the head—from the need to be right or to stay in control. On the contrary, empathy…

Empathy That Saves Lives: Lessons from Chris Voss | My Gratitude Project Day 18

November 18, 2025

Gratitude Project

Today I’m sharing another book about empathy that saves lives and that has deepened my gratitude for empathy. Empathy that saves lives? Yes, this is a book about how empathy, or the lack of it, results in life or death. The title is Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as If Your Life Depends on It, by Chris Voss. This is another personal and practical book, this time by a former FBI terrorist negotiator. Voss details his own journey to learn…

Empathy and Body Language: Listening Without Words | My Gratitude Project Day 14

November 14, 2025

Gratitude Project

Sometimes we forget to pay attention to empathy and body language: the loudest clues that have no sound at all. Let’s take a moment to talk about empathy and body language. Our bodies are always talking, signaling how we really feel. Regardless of what our words say, our bodies give us away. Unless you are a professional poker player or actor, you probably don’t think about or control how your face and body posture broadcast your feelings to the world.…

Empathy Is a Gift: The Healing Power of Listening | My Gratitude Project Day 13

November 13, 2025

Gratitude Project

When empathy is a gift, friendship and gratitude grow. I remember the day that I realized that empathy is a gift. It was over 5 years ago, shortly after my mother passed away. My best friend called me up and asked if I wanted to take a walk. Yes, I said gratefully. How I needed some fresh air! We walked for about an hour, and she almost didn’t say anything. She just let me talk. Losing a loved one brings…