It DOES NOT feel like it should be the end of November already. I feel like there should be an extra month of time in there somewhere. This year has been a wild journey……and there’s still time left for a few exciting adventures. I have laughed and cried, lost hope and then found it again. I have so much to be thankful for….but this year my list will NOT include Fall Leaves. I remember a couple of years ago I included Fall Leaves in my annual list. Yes they are pretty to look at, but after spending a whole day raking and blowing leaves, (and a week later my yard was covered again), they won’t be making the list this year. Here is my 2017 list of things that I’m thankful for. You can read history of how this list got started and the lists from prior years, here.
The things I am Thankful for in 2017:
1. My Parents: I’ve written this more than once, I think every year I’ve made this list, but it still rings true. I won the parent lottery. I wouldn’t be where I am in life without their love and support and guidance. They are the two people I know I can always count on no matter the situation. As the song “In Between” says: “Sometime I’m my Mother’s Daughter, Sometimes I’m her Friend.” I may be a grown woman, miss independent, but my Mom is the first person I call for advice, to share good news, to share bad news, and everything in between. She has done so much for me this year when it came to packing up my old house and getting my new house ready to move in. My Dad has “taught a woman to fish” on many occasions. I’ve learned how to disassemble a toilet and fix a leak. He’s gone along my hair brain ideas that didn’t pan out the way I planned. Words really can’t explain how thankful I am for them.
2. Hope: This year it was hard to stay hopeful for the things that I was going after. It was hard to stay positive that things would work out how I wanted them too. It seemed that there was nothing I could do to help things along. That part was frustrating. The waiting game and uncertainty of when things would come together was stressful. For a while I lost hope that finding a house would happen. I’m glad everything worked out in the end. It restored my faith to believe that things do work out how we want them too.
3. My Work Family: I am on my third job after graduating from college. Yea, I’m a millennial who’s jumped around to different jobs. But the third time was the charm. I love the people I work with. It’s a small office of 8 people, but we get along great. We joke, laugh, and have done some really great work in the process. This is the first job that I can see myself still working there many years down the road.
4. Courage: Towards the end of last year I started an Etsy shop with some photos I’d taken. In 2017 I expanded that into flags and other handmade items. It was probably the scariest thing I’ve done. I experienced “imposter syndrome” a lot throughout the process. I went to pop-up markets, which was terrifying. The introvert in me is not good a generating small talk with strangers. But it was a good experience and I am thankful for the support that my friends and family showed me. The shop has been put on the back-burner the last several months, but I’m hoping to do more with it in 2018!
5. LivingonSaltwater Supporters: I am thankful for each and every person who came out to a pop-up market, who bought something from my Etsy shop, and who gave me words of encouragement when I doubted myself.
6. Travel: This year has included a lot of trips, including 2 new states on my bucket list! It has been nice to get away when the stress of life in 2017 was a lot to handle.
7. Wiiiiiiiiine: This year has been the year of wine education. I’m still no expert, but it’s been fun to take some classes and drink wine with friends.
8.True Friends: This year I’ve needed a lot of support. I hate asking for help. But I’m thankful for the people who have been there for me. Those who have texted me at 5 am when I couldn’t seem to get up to go to a 6am Crossfit class. Those who listened to my house buy/selling saga for 6 months. The ride or die people that sat with me at pop-up markets and are always up for any adventure. I’m thankful for like-minded women who are striving to be the best in their field. There are a lot of great people in my life that have helped me along the way this year.
This concludes my list for 2017, I hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving with family and friends!
