What are you grateful for?

As we celebrate Thanksgiving in the U.S., we give thanks for another year, recognize our blessings and surround ourselves with our family and friends. Yet - this year Thanksgiving feels, well, needed more than ever. With all that’s going on around us in the world, maybe this year isn’t just about giving thanks but about recognizing what we’re truly grateful for.

There is an article in Yoga Journal (December 08) that focuses on cultivating gratitude. Author Jill Duman writes that those who keep gratitude journals feel more satisfied, sleep better and experience a greater sense of overall well-being in their lives. The article includes the following quote from Todd Kashdan, associate professor of psychology at Virginia’s George Mason University:

“There are two parts of being grateful. One is recognizing that someone benefited in some way, then mindfully seeing the connection to yourself. You have to really be in the present to see what’s happening in your life, what’s causing things to happen, and how you fit into things bigger than yourself.”

So let’s start our own gratitude journal and see where the journey takes us.

Why You Voted Natural is Inspiring

Why do I come to work everyday? Because of you. I know it may sound trite, but hearing what our consumers have to say about our products and our company helps spawn new ideas and gives us insight that is unique and even better, truthfully authentic. For me, being a marketer here at Burt's Bees is a great opportunity because when we're on, we know because you tell us....and when we're off our mark, you let us know that too. (Working for Burt's Bees as the trendsetter brand in Natural Personal Care is pretty cool too.)

What inspired me the most lately is what we learned from our Vote for Natural campaign. It gave us profound insight into your thoughts and feelings on Natural overall and frankly, inspired me. Those of you who voted Natural (and over 40,000 of you have!) were asked the typical entry information plus one specific question: "Why do you vote for natural? Tell us why natural matters to you."

So far, I’ve spent hours reading through your responses and am energized. Thank you! Here are a few of the responses that I particularly loved and wanted to share:

"Voting natural matters to me because with all the exposure I get to un-natural elements in my day to day life, I feel that it's best for me to make healthy and natural choices for my body and for my baby. When it comes to things I have control over like soaps, makeup and hair products, I want the best."

"When I think of the word natural, images of the beauty that surrounds us all over the world pop into my mind. The beauty of nature; trees, crystal clear water, rocks, clouds, sky, plants and wildlife. I like to think that those same images are inside of me, my body, my heart and my soul. The "natural" me is who I am and what I stand for. I was raised to absorb the beauty around us, to look, see, feel, smell, taste everything that is real. I can only hope, wish and believe that everyone will do the same in order to keep and protect this earth from which we all live."

"I have very sensitive skin. I can't use harsh chemicals on my skin. As I've gotten older, my skin has gotten more sensitive. Burt's Bees products are just the thing to make my skin feel soothed and soft. Knowing the products are all natural is a bonus. I won't have any chemicals hurting my skin or my body."

We appreciate all the great comments about why natural matters to you, and we’ll keep pouring over your comments to inspire and ignite new ideas. Thanks again to all of you who voted Natural and because of you it’s clear that Natural is the winner!

Paula Alexander
Director, US Marketing