Happy Thanksgiving 2023
Fall is reaching its peak, and winter is trying to sneak in. It must be time for Thanksgiving. This tends to kick off the holiday season, and certainly, for those of us in retail, we know it begins the busy season. But now is also a great time for reflection and begin a period of being grateful for what we have, planning for the year ahead, and enjoying time with family.
"Give thanks not just on Thanksgiving Day, but every day of your life. Appreciate and never take for granted all that you have." — Catherine Pulsifer
I admit I have not always treasured Thanksgiving the way I do today. Time, experience, and family have all contributed to those changes. I have spent my entire adult life in retail. I have worked in many different aspects of retail, but still, the majority of my work was tied to store events, and Thanksgiving meant being ready for the promotions and sales season immediately following the holiday. I am fortunate today to both be in a role and company where this is not our busiest time of the year; it’s still busy, but not like so many other retailers. I am slowly glad to see more and more companies prioritizing Thanksgiving as a family day and less about the sale events that follow. I mention more of this in my upcoming History of Black Friday article. But this day should be about friends, family, and recalling what we are most grateful for.
"On Thanksgiving Day, we acknowledge our dependence." — William Jennings Bryan
I encourage you to take time this week and next to share with others around you, your peers, colleagues, and support folks who make a difference in your life, even in small ways. The ones you may not celebrate the day with, but who have made it possible for you to enjoy every day. Thanksgiving shouldn’t have to be just a day; it can be a feeling that we share with others throughout the year. Thanksgiving just becomes a day to remind us how important every other day can be in giving thanks for who we are and what we have.
"Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse." — Henry Van Dyke
I give thanks to each of you who come back week after week to read posts I share, and for those of you just discovering this website or even just this post itself. I hope the words I write can, in some small way, make a difference in how you lead and the difference you make for others. I am grateful to have the chance to put this type of information into the world for everyone to use or not, to help them on their own journeys. And, of course, I am tremendously grateful for the family and friends I have around me who support what I do and continually provide encouragement in ways they may not even know.
“Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” — Melody Beattie
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. Enjoy this day, the season, and the possibilities ahead. Be grateful for all it represents and the opportunities for the future. Let the gift of gratitude fill your heart and mind and bring you joy you can share with others throughout the year.
Forever grateful.
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Photo by Meritt Thomas on Unsplash