Fall & Thanksgiving are my favorite times of the year. Gorgeous weather (sometimes) here in Ohio with fall colors as we ease (sometimes) into the snowy winter nights. I love spending as much time as possible outside these days enjoying the scenes, the weather, and my family.
Of course, with Thanksgiving, we should always take time to be with loved ones and be thankful for what time we are able to spend with them. I don’t typically make a list of things that I should be thankful for, but with our daughter just turning this week, maybe I’ve gotten a little more sentimental.
Here are 10 things I’m especially thankful for this Thanksgiving season:
My Country
It can be a pretty scary world out there, especially if all you watch is the cable news. But I am thankful just to be here, in this home, in this state, in this country. Without being too political or sharing the clip of Jeff Daniels from the Newsroom TV show pilot for the millionth time, we live in a pretty great country. We’re not immune from bad things happening on our soil, but overall – it’s hard to say that we don’t have it better than most people on this earth.
I’m thankful for the men and women who protect and keep us safe whether it’s down the street in a police car or a firetruck or overseas in a tank or a fighter jet. Thank you.
My Wife
Kelly gets her own section here and probably deserves two. She’s an amazing woman and going through the year we’ve had raising our Scarlett has made me love and appreciate her even more than I have over the past 10 years of us being together. She puts up with a lot, probably from me more than the baby.
I still remember what my best man told me at my wedding in his speech – that I should love her more each day than I did the day before. And I do – good call Jesse. Thank you.
My Family
I feel like Scarlett’s 1st birthday this week is more of a ‘congratulations – you kept this little person safe and alive for a year’ than a celebration of her 1st birthday. Babies seem intent on hurting themselves, choking on toys, falling into walls and/or sharp corners and now climbing onto things that surely don’t seem like a good idea. But I wouldn’t trade away any of it.
Before I entered this fatherhood thing, I didn’t really know what to expect. I was an only child and really didn’t grow up around a lot of babies. I was told that your life would change immediately when you first see your son/daughter, and they weren’t lying. My whole perspective on life is different.
My appreciation for the time I get to spend with not only my wife and baby, but the rest of our families has changed for the better too. Thank you.
My Health
Those who know me are aware that ‘fitness’ wasn’t ever really a word that describes me well. I don’t enjoy running, I don’t play any recreational sports aside from golf (I do walk when I can instead of riding the cart!) – but I’m no wellness buff. Kelly has always been supportive of me, encouraging me to join the gym, or keep track of what I eat to keep me on the best track possible. Even though my usual birthday gift from her is Sour Patch Kids & Cinnamon Toast Crunch – not to be eaten together, of course.
I’ve fluctuated in weight quite a bit since we’ve been together, but as I hit my peak of 205 for the second time in 3 years this past winter, during the fatherhood pity-weight period I was told about, aka the “what sounds good for dinner tonight? Chipotle? Noodles & Co? Pizza? SURE!, I knew I needed a change. I’m lucky to have not just Kelly in my life, but three inspiring women as clients who work with their clients to make a better life for themselves. Leslie from Healthy Hearts Nutrition, Tammy from Wellness In & Out and Erica from Erica Fit Love were all big inspirations for me taking a turn for the better. But to be honest, it was a combination of Erica’s story and Scarlett (my daughter) that really got me motivated to be better.
I’ve lost almost 25 pounds since May and am still working on it. But I know my health is better than it was at the beginning of 2015 and I’m thankful for the people that have inspired me to make it that way. Thank you.
My Dad
One of the inspirations for starting this business was my dad. Growing up with small business in my veins was in big part, his doing. Always giving me the option and opportunities to come back to the farm and help run the family business (Young’s Jersey Dairy), but not forcing my decision is a big reason of why I love what I do and haven’t looked back.
When I hit a crossroads of being burned out looking for a teaching position in Columbus, he recommended I start my own business using the skills that I had learned over the years working with him to grow the farm’s business. He’s always been supportive and is my sole ‘Board of Director’ until I feel the need to add some more seats. We get together at least twice a year where he gives me his 100% undivided attention to help guide me where I need guidance and offer his knowledge where needed.
It goes without saying that I wouldn’t be where I am without him and my business wouldn’t be growing at the rate it is without his early & ongoing advice. Thank you.
My Clients
I couldn’t be more happy with the group of people that fit into this category. I’m lucky to have met each and every one of them. Whether it was from afriend/family member, a chance meeting, a friend-of-a-friend, or a referral from an existing client. Each one of my clients has a specific story to tell and I love that I’m a small part of helping them tell it.
My constantly growing list of awesome clients are a large part of why I can spend time with my family – and for that.. Thank you.
My Mistakes
I know it seems odd to put this on my list, but I have always felt better about any mistakes I’ve had than any successes. The mistakes I’ve made in life, or as a business owner, have put me back on the right track. They force me to pause, think about the situation and how to improve it for next time. When I think back of some of the early decisions I made when I started this business, I just have to laugh. But if it wasn’t for those mistakes, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
For all the times I had to say “I’m sorry” and for all the “whoopsies” along the way: Thank you.
My Challenges
As a business owner, a day without some sort of challenge isn’t something you see, ever. Whether it’s an impending deadline or a project that keeps growing beyond expectations – there is always some sort of roadblock between where you start and where you finish. But isn’t that what makes things fun, keeps things fresh? Of course there will be challenges along the way and mistakes will be made.
Every day I’m challenged with something. Usually minor, occasionally more than I think I can handle. But somehow at the end of the day/week/quarter/year, I look back on that challenge and smile. Because I’ve gotten through it – one way or the other. Thank you.
My Successes
I put this last on my list for a reason. It’s too easy to look at a growing list of clients, a year-over-year percentage increase in revenue or profits and call that a success. It certainly doesn’t hurt, and you can’t take a feeling of satisfaction to the bank or pay your mortgage with happy thoughts. But that doesn’t make them any less important.
2015 has been a great year for me, my family and my business. And I’ll call that trifecta a success.
Thank you to all who helped make it happen.