I love this time of year! The cooler temperatures, the beautiful lights in our city and county, and the food. Who would have thought there were so many different ways to have chocolate?
Not only is it a great time to step back and count the myriad of things for which we can be thankful, but it’s also a good time for reflection. We can look back over the things we’ve made it through (albeit sometimes with a few scars, bumps, and bruises, but still, we made it through!)
I’m reminded of a quote from best-selling author Ken Blanchard, especially this time of year, “What if all you had tomorrow was what you were grateful for today?”
As well it’s a good time to look ahead and see what might be coming over the horizon – or to be sure we’re doing all that we can to help those things materialize.
Thanksgiving already! Can you…“Imagine That™”?
Opportunities to Give Back
We are so fortunate to live in America. We have access to hot water (that we can actually drink without getting sick), an abundance of food, clothing, a roof over our heads, and so much more.
Those four things alone put us in the top 6% of the world’s wealthiest citizens. Everything else beyond that is icing on the cake. (Speaking of icing, even small luxuries like hot chocolate with marshmallows or a steaming cup of apple cider are pretty great, too!)
I’m an entrepreneur, and I was raised in an entrepreneur’s family. My mother taught me at a young age that it was our responsibility to give back to others in our community that were less fortunate than us. To that end, we found ways to do more than just give money…as important as that is…but also give of our time.
What are some of your favorite ways to acknowledge the season and give back? What can we do to create a ripple effect and bonding experience with our family, friends, and our coworkers?
Our in-house attorney and I will be participating in the San Diego River Cleanup (stinky work, to be honest) on December 10th at 8:45 AM this year, and we’d love to host anyone who wants to join us!
More information at this link! https://sandiegoriver.galaxydigital.com/need/detail/?need_id=668850
My treat for lunch afterward!
Other ideas to give of your time and resources:
San Diego Rescue Mission
- https://www.sdrescue.org/
- Serves hundreds of meals to the less fortunate
- They always need help serving meals
Father Joe’s Villages
- https://my.neighbor.org/
- Turkey Trot at Balboa Park; check-in at 6:30 a.m.; race starts at 7:30 a.m. (among other worthy sponsors)
- Raising $112 pays for 3 meals a day for an entire week for a family of 4
Volunteering at other soup kitchens
- in larger, well-ventilated areas with less risk of flu or COVID
Donating or volunteering at local food banks
- Host a virtual food drive
- Volunteer to sort food
- Deliver food
- 1 in 4 San Diegans is nutritionally insecure!
Give cash or food gift cards
A good friend carries $50 bills to give waiters and waitresses or others who are hustling extra hard this time of year, just to say thanks.
Those are a fraction of the things that can be done (some for the more adventurous!) to demonstrate a heart of gratitude.
“You can either worry or be grateful, but not both.” – David Bohl, author and addiction consultant
“It’s no secret that gratefulness is correlated with life satisfaction and happiness… Those who tend to be more grateful rather than bitter are generally more positive, more satisfied with their lives, and will be much more likely to see the silver lining even on cloudy days.” – Judy Belmont, mental health author, motivational speaker, psychotherapist
Thanksgiving Myths….BUSTED!
Whew, after all that serious musing, how about a few fun Thanksgiving myths that we can explode?
Like, we all know that eating turkey makes you sleepy. Right?
WRONG!
Check this link out to find 5 of the most common myths about things we eat at Thanksgiving, so you have the real facts at your gathering this Turkey Day.
Read more here on 5 Thanksgiving Feast Myths Busted!
And here are some more fun historical myths (and facts) about Thanksgiving.
What We’re Grateful for This Year
As we do each year at Wealth Legacy Group®, Inc. we reflect on what a privilege it is to work with our extraordinary clients in helping to plan for their futures.
Likewise, I am grateful for our team working behind the scenes to pull it all together as well as the tremendous professional colleagues that make the planning process better.
As well we celebrate the everyday heroes helping our society function…healthcare workers, firefighters, police, social services, teachers, and our military–those fighting to defend our freedom.
It is fantastic.
On a personal note, I am so very grateful to our Office Manager (my darling wife, Vymean), our boys, their wonderful wives, our grandchildren Niko and Kora, my sister-in-law, and her amazing family. They bring such joy into our lives.
Conclusion – Give Thanks Every Day
Life is precious, and things can change in a heartbeat.
I’ve noticed a trend in day planners asking the user to list several gratitudes at the top of the page before starting the day’s tasks. It’s great to see society trending this way. And if your planner doesn’t ask the question, you can always write in the margins!
Random question…what do you call a turkey the day after Thanksgiving? Lucky! (And maybe a little grateful too!)
In the challenge Ken Blanchard makes to all of us, “What if all you had tomorrow was what you were grateful for today?”
In closing, there is truly so much to be thankful for and most especially for you in my life. Wishing you a joyous and wonder-filled Thanksgiving.
“Imagine That™”!
Imagine That™! is a complimentary monthly newsletter provided by Wealth Legacy Group®, Inc. that addresses various topics of interest for high-net-worth and high-income business owners, professionals, executives and their families. Sign up to receive our monthly newsletter here.
R. J. Kelly, Wealth Legacy Group®, Inc. – November 2022
Image on Canva, one design use license