6 Reasons to be Thankful
Hello, friends!
It is my favorite time of the year! For those of you who know me, you may be thinking this is because my birthday is right around the corner (it’s this Friday, in case you want to mark your calendar) but I promise you that is not the reason. For me, Thanksgiving was the holiday our family looked forward to every year as my grandmother hosted the largest Thanksgiving dinner I have ever seen and our family from all over was expected to be at – not that you ever wanted to miss it anyway. I fell in love with Thanksgiving for the sole reason that there were not any expectations to shop for the perfect gift, fill the best Easter basket, or find the best Halloween costume. It was to just be together with the ones you loved the most. The bonus part was that you got to eat as much pie as you wanted.
As we approach Thanksgiving in just a few days, I cannot help but reflect on all the things I have to be thankful for this year in both my personal and professional life. My list could get fairly long with all the things I am finding myself thankful for this year, so I’ll keep it to my top six.
My Rockstar Support System
I am a firm believer that if you want to succeed, you must surround yourself with positive people who will challenge and bring out the best in you every day. There is no way I would be where I am today without those of you who I have chosen as “my people.” My parents, my friends (you know who you are), my colleagues, and most importantly, my partner, Matt. The people that make up your support system were the ones you chose to go through this life with, share the highs and the lows, and make you see your potential. Keep these people close by!
Books!
Every time I buy a new book I try and sneak it in the house past Matt because our bookshelves are overflowing. I am 110% a book nerd and I am absolutely okay with it. Most of the time you will find me buried in a good thriller, but I often find myself in a memoir with individuals sharing their own stories of overcoming obstacles and building their self-confidence. Regardless of what book I am invested in at the moment, it is the idea of entering a new world that gets you seeing things a little differently. Jodi Picoult is my favorite author, and I am currently right in the middle of one of her older books and anxiously awaiting her book signing next week in New Hampshire that you can bet I will be at.
New Challenges
These past 20 months have certainly challenged all of us in unthinkable ways but every challenge presents a learning experience and an opportunity to grow. I bet we can all relate in our own growth lately with the challenges that have presented themselves. Even with instances in my personal life where I have been challenged to what feels like the max, I can transfer these learning experiences into my professional life. Things like how to deal with different types of people, stress, how to adapt – you get my point. I also love a new task at work where I feel like I have no idea what I am doing but can dive in, take some time to research, throw in a little creativity, and figure it out. It is a damn good feeling to come out on the other side with a new skill.
The Great Outdoors
We live in a state where we can get outside year-round and disconnect from this crazy life. In the warmer months, you will find me hiking or kayaking but as soon as the snow starts to fly, I will be out on the snowmobile trails (usually with Papa Mike) thoroughly enjoying myself. All of us need a break from our day-to-day lives and for me, getting the chance to go outside and get some fresh air will always be my favorite. Long story short, I am thankful for my hiking shoes, my paddles, and snowmobiles.
Past Decisions
In one of my recent blogs, I talked about the importance of finding confidence in past decisions we have made because we made the right decision for us at the time, and it helped shape who we are today. While there are many things I look back on in my life that I question my choices, I always bring myself back to the realization that without those choices, I would not be the person I am today, and for that I am grateful.
Good Health
I will keep this one short and sweet. I am beyond thankful for my good health (and my families!) so that I can continue doing all the other things in life that I love.
Our personal and professional lives will frequently overlap and impact each other which is why it is important to think of them as the same, especially as we count our blessings this time of year.
If you keep reading my blogs (which I hope you do) in the coming months, you may see some of these items elaborated on a bit more as they relate to career and professional development. But for now, I share my thanks to you all and how grateful I am for another year of my support system, books, new challenges, the great outdoors, past decisions, and good health.
My challenge to you this month, go count your blessings.
Happy Thanksgiving!