Thank you, me.

“Be thankful for every new challenge. Each will give you more strength, wisdom and character.”

Kristen Butler

Happy Thanksgiving. A day to pause and be thankful for all that we have. All that we are blessed with. I’ll start.

• I am thankful to have an incredible family who supports me and loves me no matter what.
• I am thankful for nature and the ability to enjoy all that it has to offer.
• I am thankful to have an amazing partner who shares my happiness and encourages me to go after everything life offers.
• I am thankful for incredible friends who make life so much more fun.
• I am thankful for a thriving business and my passion for writing and painting.

Wait…

Who do I thank for all these things that make my life and heart so full?

True, I did not get to choose my family, nor am I in any way responsible for what nature provides, so I am thankful to God or the Universe, or whoever the higher power that you believe in is.

But the rest? I won’t apologize for saying I earned them. Not deserved, but earned. (There is a difference.) Am I grateful? Yes. But what I am most grateful for is the strength and resilience that I have lived my life with every day. The determination to learn from my mistakes. The self-awareness to know when I could do better. And the courage to face the fear of failure or heartbreak.

I left a steady paycheck to start a business and take a chance on myself. To grow and succeed at a level beyond that job.

I recovered from heartbreak to try again (and again), knowing that there was someone out there that would not only share my happy, but bring it to a whole other level. My knight in shining armor.

I set boundaries with people and risked losing friends to surround myself with a second, chosen family, who make me laugh and fill my days with positive energy.

We are accountable for all of our choices. I have said it before, and I will say it over and over again. You get to choose! Choose your friends. Choose your career. Choose your loved one(s).

So what am I thankful for? I am thankful that each time I tried and failed, I got back up and tried again. I am thankful that, by not giving up, I created this life for myself. I chose to be happy. I hope the same for you and everyone else out there.

Be thankful. Don’t give up. Choose wisely. Choose happy.

May you be strong, courageous, and blessed today and every day throughout the coming year. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.