Although common for me, I hadn't planned on writing any insightful notes of Thanksgivings this year; I truly intended to keep it simple — since I just have so much going on right now — but, perhaps, that is exactly why the writer in me took over, as when you are very busy, borderline overwhelmed, that is exactly when you need to write notes like this! So before we left for our turkey destination Thursday, I ended up jotting down some thoughts of thankfulness for 2022, which I added to and edited during rest periods over the next few days. It goes something like this...
On this day of Thanksgiving, I am thankful to have family to spend the holidays with, thankful to my brother and sister-in-law for inviting us over for Thanksgiving dinner. I am thankful my immediate family was all together on Thanksgiving for the first time in years, along with some extended family, and although missed, I am thankful a usual relative not with us was writing his own tradition for the books.
The whole year through, I am thankful for all our families and my forever friends, many of whom sent Happy Thanksgiving wishes, and grateful for ones I have reconnected with recently. I am also thankful for the many new friends, colleagues, and others who have entered my life throughout the past year — but also the few nonfriends or unfriends (whatever you want to call them lol), as those are the ones who always remind us just how important and rare our true friends are.
In the spirit of Giving Tuesday, I am thankful for caring souls who do so much for others, always giving of themselves, and never complaining or expecting anything back. But I am also grateful to have interacted with those not like that, as they not only illuminate for us how truly special the givers are and how much we should appreciate them, but also remind us to keep giving unconditionally ourselves, and how we should all genuinely try to be more that way.
Therefore, I am thankful for those things and people that show me what I want to do and who I want to be — but maybe even more so for those that reiterate what I do not want to be doing and who I never want to be! I am thankful for having been redirected this year towards my personal goals in helping others and grateful for circumstances that either kept me, or ultimately put me back, on that track. I'm grateful to the situations that reminded me of what's really important in this life — the things that are so much greater than me!
I am very thankful for the numerous things (too many to think of) that have gone my way and turned out favorably for me this past year; but — you guessed it — I am also grateful for those that did not quite go like I would have wanted, as I recognize each were learning experiences encouraging me to step back and see the whole picture, to evaluate where I am and where I feel I am supposed to be. I guess I am mostly grateful for how 2022 has turned out overall, even for those situations that seemed negative at first, as I do firmly believe, for whatever reason, every resolution was meant to be, either to motivate me into doing something I had wanted to do for 5, even 10 years, to set something else good (related or not) into motion, or to clear the page for my next big chapter!
I am very thankful for the people and new activities that have come into my life the past year to stay for the long haul (or at least the time being) and are now a part of my daily, weekly, or monthly routines — but just as grateful for those chapters that concluded, and even some that had to come and quickly go. In hindsight, I recognize if I had stayed so focused on only one aspect at times, I most likely would have passed by or missed a separate opportunity that I do believe was meant for me to take.
I am also thankful not all things work out long-term, so that I don't get stuck somewhere I am not supposed to be. But I am still always grateful to have had those opportunities or to have taken those chances, as without having had them, I may never have had the encouragement to move in another direction, nor recognize that maybe I am capable of doing more — or at least doing better. I truly am thankful for things that ended near the beginning of the year that in turn opened up the door for me to do much greater, more purposeful things throughout the year, and ultimately, are leading into even more fitting-to-me opportunities as we head into the New Year!
I am very thankful for all the many new experiences and unexpected opportunities 2022 brought to me. I am grateful for the items I got to cross off my "containers less than Bucket" lists — and those not, as they give me something easily enough attainable left on my lists to look forward to and work towards in 2023. I am also grateful for the potential new ideas added this year, as they, too, keep my bigger bucket list dreams alive.
Finally, I am thankful for the wonderful community we live in, our businesses, and all of the many people who continue to support us. However, I think for the first time ever, I need to give thanks for those few souls — at least, few that I know of, haha — who don't care for me or believe in me, because they remind me it doesn't matter, there will always be someone who doesn't like you for whatever (usually self-made) reason. So, I guess I should be grateful to have that reminder to keep me down to earth, as I keep doing what I feel is right and being the best person I can be. I am thankful people like that teach us how you can be a better person and am learning to be grateful for the opportunity we are given to try every time you encounter them!
Yes, I have my aches and pains, like everyone, and challenges (more than most know), but I am thankful I have still managed now at 40-years-old to continue pushing through every obstacle that was thrown my way this year. No matter how difficult any were, here I am on the other side, able to write this post, so this weekend of Thanksgiving — and now my birthday week — we must focus on that!
Like I have said for the past 10 years and titled this blog, "Focus on the Positive...But Develop from the Negatives." And that's really what giving gratitude and celebrating Thanksgiving is all about, isn't it? Being thankful for what you do have instead of complaining about what you don't! Giving power to all the good that you were blessed with the past year, instead of dwelling on anything less than good.
And, not just writing down words of gratitude because it sounds good, but truly feeling grateful!
That's honestly what I really tried to do with this streaming post of thoughts.
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