What I'm Grateful For

A couple of my friends recently shared a great video about gratitude and how it correlates with one’s own happiness.

I was driving home last night when I started thinking about this video again. I thought: what am I grateful for? Quite ironically, right when this thought popped in my mind some jagoff cut me off and nearly hit a Prius to my right.

Not very grateful for that guy!

But in all seriousness, time to list off some great stuff:

• I am grateful for genuine people. It’s too damned easy to get caught up in fake facades and societal expectations these days. People who challenge this social status quo and simply represent their true selves are the most beautiful of all.

• I am grateful to be in a world and nation rich in infrastructure. The modern world is amazing. For those lucky enough to be born with access to the internet, modern transportation, complex resource distribution systems, etc, the world is quite literally our playground. We can learn whatever we want, do whatever we want, say whatever we want – build whatever we want. Modern infrastructure has given us the means to attain a level of individual liberty unattainable by our ancestors. Sure, it also comes with societal expectations and imperfect systems, but I think those are merely bumps on a long road; they can be overcome.

• I am grateful for the people, both modern and ancient, who built the infrastructure of the world. This includes everyone – not just the CEOs of the olden days. I didn’t invent the car, but I get to drive one. I didn’t discover electricity, but I get to show you this set of words because millions of electrons move in unison. I didn’t have to fight for civil rights, but I get to have friends of multiple cultures and races. Every single thing we know and use on this planet was discovered or created by someone just like us. Each invention and piece of forward progress started as as small idea in someone’s mind and grew into something grand. Even though so many problems still exist, so many have been solved. Mad props, old timers!

• I am grateful for everyone fighting to make tomorrow better than today. The world presents us many opportunities and it’s not easy to determine how impactful our role truly is. Being self-critical in this environment and taking action to ensure your in the right place requires bravery, pure and simple.

And onto some of the personal stuff:

• I am grateful to have such a loving family. It’s always wonderful to talk to my mom, cousins, aunts and uncles. They’re great people and whenever I chat with any of them I feel like I’m home.

• I am grateful to have the best friends in the world. You all are frigin’ rockstars and have helped me in so many ways.

• I am grateful to live in one of the most beautiful locations I’ve ever known. The sunrise peering over the mountains in the bay makes all morning commutes irrationally energizing.

• I am grateful to have an awesome set of colleagues. Having managed so many parts of a large recruiting process, I’m reminded all the time how unique and rare it is to have this group around me and fighting for the same mission.

• I am grateful to be working on something that is truly meaningful. It’s all about bringing people together in ways they didn’t believe were possible… helping people find their true home. Home sweet home!

What are you grateful for? I’d like to know if you’re willing to share. Tweet it at me below.