My 3 Reasons to be Thankful This Thanksgiving

For the past several years, I’ve written blogs about what I’m thankful for. And after reading over them all again, I’ve come to realize that they’re all pretty sappy and cliche. But what can I say? That’s my life, I guess. If you’re into that sort of sappy “I’m so thankful for my life” blog post, read on. If not, you can skip this one. It’s cool.

As I write this, I’m sitting on a plane to Minnesota. In a few short hours, I walk into my parents’ house and surprise them for Thanksgiving. At first, I thought it would be “cool” to surprise my family for Thanksgiving, but I realize it’s more than just “cool.” My motives for surprising my family had nothing to do with me. Sure, it’s going to be great to see my family again, but I did this for them. I knew how excited they’d be when they saw me at their doorstep. I knew what it would mean to them. I’m surprising my family for Thanksgiving because it’s going to mean the world to them.

This year, like every year, I’m thankful for my family. They have been my support system through absolutely everything, and I couldn’t be more thankful for that. Through the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, they’ve stood by my side. They gave me an extra push when I was stuck in a rut, and they cheered me on when I was off pursuing my dreams. No matter what crazy ideas I have, they love me and support me. Even though they live in Minnesota now, they’ve continued to be amazing – and I don’t think I could say “thank you enough. They drive me crazy sometimes, but I’m so thankful to have the family that I do.

This is my third thanksgiving with Alex, and even though we’ll be spending the day in separate states, I know he’s always with me no matter where I am. We’ve been through some crazy stuff over the past year, but we’ve gotten through it. He’s my partner in crime, my best friend and my boo. I’m constantly amazed at how much our relationship has grown over the past three years. I’m so lucky to have someone as incredible as Alex in my life, and I try not to take that for granted. Together, we make a great team, and I truly believe that we can conquer anything together.

One of the things I’m most thankful for this year is my job. Growing up, people always told me “find a job you love and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.” This time last year I was a few months into my first job out of school, and every time I thought of that quote, I thought “that’s complete bullshit. There’s no way you can love your job that much.” Fast forward a year, and I’m 7 months into a job that I’m head over heels in love with. I absolutely love getting up every morning and going to work. Every day is an adventure, and I learn something new every single day. In the workplace, we’re always told not to become friends with our coworkers or bosses because it makes things messy – but I’m not always good at following the rules. My coworkers and bosses are some of the most genuine, down-to-earth people I’ve ever met, and I’m so lucky to call each and every one of them my friend. In just 7 short months, I’ve grown as a marketing professional and as a person. I know that this is only the beginning for me, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for me.

In some ways, Thanksgiving 2013 feels like just yesterday. In other ways, so much has happened that I can’t believe it’s only been a year. Seriously, this year has been a whirlwind – but that’s life in Wonderland. To be honest, I wouldn’t want it any other way.