Well, folks, it's that time of year again! For the past several years, I have posted a "gratitude list" on Thanksgiving weekend every year. I was feeling a little lazy (and tired) this weekend after our visitors departed and the house was quiet again, and I thought of skipping it - but then I thought, I can't skip the gratitude list! It's such an important tradition on this blog! :-)
So here it is - my gratitude list for 2019 - one of the busiest, most tumultuous years of my life thus far...
Between transitioning to a new job with a new company, to managing the bountiful garden amid multiple road trips across the country, and replacing the roof on our house, to my husband breaking his wrist this fall, 2019 has been a year particularly filled with stresses and challenges, excitement and anxiety, sadness and joy. It has also brought us so very many things to be thankful for!
So here it is - my gratitude list for 2019 - one of the busiest, most tumultuous years of my life thus far...
Between transitioning to a new job with a new company, to managing the bountiful garden amid multiple road trips across the country, and replacing the roof on our house, to my husband breaking his wrist this fall, 2019 has been a year particularly filled with stresses and challenges, excitement and anxiety, sadness and joy. It has also brought us so very many things to be thankful for!
Gratitude: the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.
Without further ado, here are my top 3 things that I am thankful for this year:
1.) My New Job!
Of all the challenges that 2019 brought about, changing jobs was by far the most stressful, difficult, and exciting. The first few months of the year went by in a blur of stress and overwhelm, as I attempted to help the company I had worked with for 14 years transition and get ready for my leaving, while planning and putting systems in place to help start the new company that I would be joining.
It was a bittersweet time, preparing to leave people I had worked with for so much of my adult life (and who were not at all happy with my decision to leave), but at the same time, moving into this new chapter in my career, with people who I also love working with and feel proud to be building something new with.
Through the weeks and months of planning, the tension between myself and coworkers as the date of departure got closer, and worst of all - the initial meeting with my boss to tell him I would be leaving - I kept telling myself it would all be worth it in the end...
And it was.
I cannot begin to express how much happier I am now! I feel like a new person - or rather, maybe not new, but the original me who used to be happy before I started feeling so ignored, dismissed, and devalued at the place where I had worked for so many years...
I never dread Mondays anymore. While I still look forward to the weekends simply for the chance to work on more of my own stuff at home, or take care of the garden, or sleep in, I don't live for them anymore. After time off, I actually look forward to going back to work! It took several months before I stopped pinching myself on the way to work every morning, just to make sure I wasn't dreaming!
While I had initially loved my old job, over the years, inertia and the trap of being "comfortable" with the familiar had taken over without my even realizing it. Looking back now, I realize how much stress I felt in that job for the past several years - Every. Single. Day. How overwhelmed, taken for granted, and neglected I was. Not just financially (though I hadn't had a raise in 3 years), but it was as though I had almost ceased to exist. Everyone relied on me for everything, and though they did throw out the old "thanks for all you do" on a regular basis, few of them really paid attention to or even seemed to know what I did. As we had grown, adding staff, advisors, technology, etc., I absorbed more and more work, until I was constantly behind, just struggling to get through each day while facing constant interruptions, filling 3 different roles in the same 8 hours. It was misery.
And I didn't even know how bad it was, until May 1 arrived and we moved into our new office...
While the first few weeks were of course quite busy getting everything set up and organized, my work life quickly and completely changed.
Not only am I no longer stressed and overwhelmed, but I actually have the time to implement systems to streamline my workday, and the opportunity to utilize technology to take over some of the more tedious parts of my job, so that I can do more of the stuff that I love! On top of this, not only did my new job come with an immediate raise, my coworker and I have also both received bonuses already, and the feeling of being appreciated, respected, and valued which no amount of money can buy!
I never realized how much of a difference your job can make in just about every aspect of your life. My mood, my sleep, even my health is better, as I will describe below...
2.) Improved Health
I'm not sure whether I have mentioned this before, but I have had heartburn or acid reflux off and on for my entire life. (I remember eating the peppermint leaves that grew wild around our well as a child, thinking it would cool the burning in my chest.) It comes and goes, but has gotten more frequent as I have gotten older.
The past 4-5 years in particular it has become worse, and after trying numerous natural supplements and other strategies with no real relief, I finally visited a doctor about it a couple of years ago. Of course he immediately prescribed me medication, which I took only for a short time. It had horrible side effects, and I have read so many things about how terrible these medications are for your health long-term that after a few months, I switched to a milder over-the-counter antacid.
I continued to try various supplement regimens, dietary changes, and other strategies for controlling the pain, along with using antacid medication only when necessary. I limited my consumption of tomatoes (one of my favorite foods, and also one of the worst triggers), citrus, alcohol, and spicy foods. I drank copious amounts of water to wash away the burning acid throughout the day. I took probiotics, calcium citrate powder, natural licorice, and other natural chewable antacids that a friend recommended to me. Still, I suffered through the daily onslaught of burning in my esophagus almost every afternoon without fail (except for when I took medication).
And then, this fall, right in the middle of tomato season (usually the worst time of year for my stomach), it just started going away...
At first, I thought it was a fluke. I realized I hadn't had heartburn in several days, then this became only a few times in several weeks. Now I only have it occasionally, and it's usually quite mild - nothing like what it was a year or even 6 months ago. I still try not to eat tomatoes or drink wine too often. I still take the occasional antacid when I know I'll have an acid-heavy meal coming up. But it is better than it has been in years.
It took me some time to figure out why. But one day, it hit me...
It was my job!!
While we all know on an intellectual level that "stress is bad for you," you don't always realize the very real and tangible consequences it has for your health. I was under nearly constant stress at work for 8 hours per day, 5 days a week, for the past 3-4 years. It apparently took my body a few months to acclimate to the fact that I now have perhaps 1 stressful day at work every couple of months.
I am hopeful that with my new position, reduced stress, and good eating habits, my digestive health will continue to improve and my body will heal itself so that I eventually no longer need any antacids at all!
3.) Savings/Bank On Yourself
While we have done numerous projects on the house and homestead over the past 5 years, this year we took several big strides in updating the house - which were sorely needed, and also very costly.
To save money, my husband and I replaced 2 more sections of siding ourselves this fall (we paid a contractor to do most of it last year), and then had the entire exterior stained. With our beautiful new metal roof, it almost looks like a new house now - at least from the outside! We also replaced the heavy, drafty, rotten old patio doors, and though we still have much to do inside (the next big project will be the living room - paint and flooring), this 70-year-old home is shaping up quite nicely. But it has been a lot of work, and a LOT of money.
I am so unbelievably thankful for our Bank On Yourself policies, without which we would never have even been able to buy this house, let alone make it our own and give it the care it needs!
Having access to money when you need it - without having to take on massive amounts of high-interest debt - is such an amazing blessing which I don't think most people really realize. The peace of mind that comes from being able to pay for an unexpected $3,000 vet bill, a trip to the emergency room, or a whole new roof when you discover yours is starting to cave in, is truly priceless.
We have all of this because of the flexibility and liquidity provided by my policies, which will someday provide me with income when I'm ready to scale back on working, and eventually, allow me to leave money to help those I love when I pass on.
I thank God that I found this wonderful financial concept so many years ago, and that I didn't pass it up when I stumbled across it. My entire life - from my career, to my home, and so much more - would be completely different if I had.
What are you grateful for this year? Besides making a gratitude list, here are some tangible ways to express your gratitude, courtesy of our favorite local farmer, whom we are also very grateful for! :-)
Happy Thanksgiving!
Rose.
1.) My New Job!
Of all the challenges that 2019 brought about, changing jobs was by far the most stressful, difficult, and exciting. The first few months of the year went by in a blur of stress and overwhelm, as I attempted to help the company I had worked with for 14 years transition and get ready for my leaving, while planning and putting systems in place to help start the new company that I would be joining.
It was a bittersweet time, preparing to leave people I had worked with for so much of my adult life (and who were not at all happy with my decision to leave), but at the same time, moving into this new chapter in my career, with people who I also love working with and feel proud to be building something new with.
Through the weeks and months of planning, the tension between myself and coworkers as the date of departure got closer, and worst of all - the initial meeting with my boss to tell him I would be leaving - I kept telling myself it would all be worth it in the end...
And it was.
I cannot begin to express how much happier I am now! I feel like a new person - or rather, maybe not new, but the original me who used to be happy before I started feeling so ignored, dismissed, and devalued at the place where I had worked for so many years...
I never dread Mondays anymore. While I still look forward to the weekends simply for the chance to work on more of my own stuff at home, or take care of the garden, or sleep in, I don't live for them anymore. After time off, I actually look forward to going back to work! It took several months before I stopped pinching myself on the way to work every morning, just to make sure I wasn't dreaming!
While I had initially loved my old job, over the years, inertia and the trap of being "comfortable" with the familiar had taken over without my even realizing it. Looking back now, I realize how much stress I felt in that job for the past several years - Every. Single. Day. How overwhelmed, taken for granted, and neglected I was. Not just financially (though I hadn't had a raise in 3 years), but it was as though I had almost ceased to exist. Everyone relied on me for everything, and though they did throw out the old "thanks for all you do" on a regular basis, few of them really paid attention to or even seemed to know what I did. As we had grown, adding staff, advisors, technology, etc., I absorbed more and more work, until I was constantly behind, just struggling to get through each day while facing constant interruptions, filling 3 different roles in the same 8 hours. It was misery.
And I didn't even know how bad it was, until May 1 arrived and we moved into our new office...
While the first few weeks were of course quite busy getting everything set up and organized, my work life quickly and completely changed.
Not only am I no longer stressed and overwhelmed, but I actually have the time to implement systems to streamline my workday, and the opportunity to utilize technology to take over some of the more tedious parts of my job, so that I can do more of the stuff that I love! On top of this, not only did my new job come with an immediate raise, my coworker and I have also both received bonuses already, and the feeling of being appreciated, respected, and valued which no amount of money can buy!
I never realized how much of a difference your job can make in just about every aspect of your life. My mood, my sleep, even my health is better, as I will describe below...
2.) Improved Health
I'm not sure whether I have mentioned this before, but I have had heartburn or acid reflux off and on for my entire life. (I remember eating the peppermint leaves that grew wild around our well as a child, thinking it would cool the burning in my chest.) It comes and goes, but has gotten more frequent as I have gotten older.
The past 4-5 years in particular it has become worse, and after trying numerous natural supplements and other strategies with no real relief, I finally visited a doctor about it a couple of years ago. Of course he immediately prescribed me medication, which I took only for a short time. It had horrible side effects, and I have read so many things about how terrible these medications are for your health long-term that after a few months, I switched to a milder over-the-counter antacid.
I continued to try various supplement regimens, dietary changes, and other strategies for controlling the pain, along with using antacid medication only when necessary. I limited my consumption of tomatoes (one of my favorite foods, and also one of the worst triggers), citrus, alcohol, and spicy foods. I drank copious amounts of water to wash away the burning acid throughout the day. I took probiotics, calcium citrate powder, natural licorice, and other natural chewable antacids that a friend recommended to me. Still, I suffered through the daily onslaught of burning in my esophagus almost every afternoon without fail (except for when I took medication).
And then, this fall, right in the middle of tomato season (usually the worst time of year for my stomach), it just started going away...
At first, I thought it was a fluke. I realized I hadn't had heartburn in several days, then this became only a few times in several weeks. Now I only have it occasionally, and it's usually quite mild - nothing like what it was a year or even 6 months ago. I still try not to eat tomatoes or drink wine too often. I still take the occasional antacid when I know I'll have an acid-heavy meal coming up. But it is better than it has been in years.
It took me some time to figure out why. But one day, it hit me...
It was my job!!
While we all know on an intellectual level that "stress is bad for you," you don't always realize the very real and tangible consequences it has for your health. I was under nearly constant stress at work for 8 hours per day, 5 days a week, for the past 3-4 years. It apparently took my body a few months to acclimate to the fact that I now have perhaps 1 stressful day at work every couple of months.
I am hopeful that with my new position, reduced stress, and good eating habits, my digestive health will continue to improve and my body will heal itself so that I eventually no longer need any antacids at all!
3.) Savings/Bank On Yourself
While we have done numerous projects on the house and homestead over the past 5 years, this year we took several big strides in updating the house - which were sorely needed, and also very costly.
To save money, my husband and I replaced 2 more sections of siding ourselves this fall (we paid a contractor to do most of it last year), and then had the entire exterior stained. With our beautiful new metal roof, it almost looks like a new house now - at least from the outside! We also replaced the heavy, drafty, rotten old patio doors, and though we still have much to do inside (the next big project will be the living room - paint and flooring), this 70-year-old home is shaping up quite nicely. But it has been a lot of work, and a LOT of money.
I am so unbelievably thankful for our Bank On Yourself policies, without which we would never have even been able to buy this house, let alone make it our own and give it the care it needs!
Having access to money when you need it - without having to take on massive amounts of high-interest debt - is such an amazing blessing which I don't think most people really realize. The peace of mind that comes from being able to pay for an unexpected $3,000 vet bill, a trip to the emergency room, or a whole new roof when you discover yours is starting to cave in, is truly priceless.
We have all of this because of the flexibility and liquidity provided by my policies, which will someday provide me with income when I'm ready to scale back on working, and eventually, allow me to leave money to help those I love when I pass on.
I thank God that I found this wonderful financial concept so many years ago, and that I didn't pass it up when I stumbled across it. My entire life - from my career, to my home, and so much more - would be completely different if I had.
What are you grateful for this year? Besides making a gratitude list, here are some tangible ways to express your gratitude, courtesy of our favorite local farmer, whom we are also very grateful for! :-)
- Encourage someone going through a hard time
- Be generous even when you know you'll get nothing in return
- Extend kindness to someone who is looked down upon
- Offer forgiveness to someone who has hurt you
Happy Thanksgiving!
Rose.
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