Reasons to be Thankful

Around this time of year it’s sort of expected that we’ll give thanks for the things we appreciate in our lives. I think we can also take this time out to consider being thankful for things we may not appreciate – at least not on the surface.

If you want to change careers, you’ve probably thought a lot about your dream job. When that day comes, suddenly everything will fall into place. You’ll be happy. You’ll stop hating going to work and your life will be wonderful. In the meantime you’ve become content to get through each day the best you can. You’ll wait to be thankful once you’ve moved on. The catch is that if you appreciate what you have, it’ll be easier to move on to what you want. I know that sounds contradictory. The things is, if your current job is meeting some of your needs (like paying your bills) then as much as you might dislike having it, it is something to be thankful for. Whatever you’re gaining from it at this moment is helping you to prepare for your new career.

Your experiences are adding to your knowledge. Whether you’re learning patience from dealing with customers, or a demanding manager, or a promotion you didn’t get. Everything you’re experiencing is helping to propel you to the next level. For me it became easier when I stopped being pissed off about not having the career I wanted. I put myself in a place of being thankful for what I had (no matter how trying it could be) and thankful for the opportunities I knew were coming.