Maybe it’s because I’m getting older, but in reflecting on this Thanksgiving week, I have a strong sense that we can’t take anything for granted. Kyle and I set out the year with an ambitious agenda. For Kyle it was to take a leap in his career. For me, it was to grow Moments exponentially, lead Millie’s PTO as President and run my first Marathon. In pushing an ambitious agenda, we are no doubt experiencing growth, but it is clear that the pursuit growth comes with trade offs, sacrifice and in some cases self doubt. Pursuing growth is uncomfortable and success is not guaranteed. Thanksgiving is such a wonderful holiday because it gives us space to step back and to reflect on all the blessings we have in our life. It’s human nature to focus on the next thing and where we fall short, but reframing our current situation in the context of gratitude can relieve our mental weight and free us up to do better, more inspired work. Here are some of the mantras that have helped me realize how blessed I am. I hope they do the same for you.
Reframe “have to” to “get to”
My list of things I “have to” do in order for me to feel successful and productive is admittedly long. Recently I have been reframing all of the “have to” things on my list into “get to” things and the simple mental shift has reinspired me to get excited about the things I am working on. Rather than “I have to plan the Glow Run for Millie’s school” I can reframe it to be”I get to lead the biggest fundraiser of the year so that the kids have better art supplies and great books to read.”
It’s not always up and to the right and that’s ok
When we think about growth, there is a notion that if we’re not moving forward, we are moving backward. I no longer believe that. I believe that life has seasons. There is a time to push and there is a time to rest. If we think everything will always move up and to the right we are setting ourselves up for disappointment. If you are in a period of stability or plateau, try to embrace that as a season and do what you can to gather energy for when you are ready to make your next leap.
Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll be among the stars
This quote was something Kyle remembers from 7th grade English class. I love this notion. It is a great reminder to do our best, to try hard things, to shoot for greatness. If we fail, it is ok! Odds are that even in the pursuit, we learn something along the way. The outcome is less important than the daily practice, the discipline, the striving for excellence.
Remember: We Have Our Health
Not everyone can say this. This year we’ve seen a lot of sickness and it has been tough to see people we love not feeling their best. As cliche as it sounds, if health is something you are currently blessed with, give thanks every day for that! When we don’t feel our best, even the smallest tasks are hard.
Focus on What Matters
At the end of the day, I get up every morning trying to raise my kids, support my husband and pursue my passion to help you all plan for life’s most special moments. Along the way, I try to focus on what really matters: how I treat people, how I show up, my attitude, my energy, my effort. By reminding myself that I am working towards a greater good, an outcome bigger than my individual success, it allows me to stay inspired.
I hope these mantras help you find the things in your life that you are thankful for. This Thanksgiving, I wish you good food, good rest, football, family time and chance to practice gratitude. You deserve it!
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