Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. What could be better than an entire day devoted to cooking and eating decadent food, drinking delicious wine, and taking a long afternoon nap? Plus, I don’t have to decorate my house or buy and wrap presents for anyone. I am also glad that Thanksgiving is a time to remember all the reasons I have to be grateful. In truth, this is an exercise best practiced daily, but an annual deep dive is a wonderful exercise.
This year I am most grateful for:
My Health – I have been nursing a cold and hacking cough for over three weeks now, and I will relish the first day I feel normal again. But having a long cold is nothing compared to the health problems of some friends, clients, and family members. I have no chronic conditions and I am prescribed no medicines. I do my part with diet and exercise, but the truth is that good health is, in many cases, the luck of the draw. I am grateful to be lucky in health so far.
Family – My son is almost three years old, and he is finally able to share a bit of his personality with us. He can communicate his thoughts and feelings. This is the moment I’ve been waiting for since he was born, a chance to glimpse the adult he will one day become. My husband picks up all the balls I drop at home, and he keeps life interesting with his endless pursuit of knowledge. This year I realized that no connection is thicker than blood. I am blessed with one sibling, my younger brother. Even though we live in different cities, we remain thick as thieves. My parents are still young and healthy, and we have a lot of fun together. Raising young children is an exhausting time of life, but I can tell it is worth it.
Meaningful Work – I feel guilty when people complain about their work. I couldn’t find something about my job to complain about if I tried, and I realize this puts me in the 1% category of employees. My job is literally to help people fulfill their financial dreams while providing peace of mind and guidance about their investments. I work at a firm that is experiencing organic growth at a rate almost unheard of in our industry. I am supported by a team of rockstars who leverage my time and deepen client relationships. This is the first time in my career, that I have been freed of all other work responsibilities other than the tasks where I add the most value.
Networks – I am blessed to belong to a few amazing and supportive networks of like-minded individuals. One is my local group of fellow female yoga practitioners. We meet for lunch, attend birthday celebrations, and cheer each other on in life. Another network is the amazing group of financial professionals who regularly use Twitter – also known as #FinTwit. The group includes talented writers and researchers, young financial advisors breaking new molds, champions for diversity and inclusion, anonymous accounts that will both make you laugh and blown your mind, and an amazing bunch of journalists covering financial services. I am also grateful for the global network of fellow CFA Institute members. I joined the advisory group for the CFA Annual conference this year, and the experience reinforced that I am truly connected to every corner of the globe through this spectacular professional organization.
I hope you enjoy your turkey, your football, and you intra-family political debates this Thanksgiving. I will be offline for my annual internet cleanse for four full days between Thursday and Sunday. I brought several books to read, and I will be attending the Iron Bowl on Saturday. Happy Thanksgiving!
