My 2020 Gratitude List

1. Above all, in light of everything, I’m grateful for my health and that of my family.
2. I’m grateful that if I string together few more days (one day at a time) I’ll celebrate five years of sobriety in early January.
3. I’m grateful for my wife and that our communication has gotten better and that our love has only grown deeper as we lived even more closely together this year. And that I still have the hots for her.
4. I’m grateful for my dog. For his health and his soul and the laughter and love he brings out in me and my wife (and everyone else he meets). I’m even grateful that he hogs the bed – or, maybe more accurately, that he’s still around and able to hog the bed.
5. I’m grateful that I was able to successfully launch my business. Finally. After 2+ years of hard work, it’s pretty amazing to see my dream and vision become a reality.
6. I’m grateful that I feel a true sense of purpose in my life.
7. I’m grateful for the state of my relationships with my family, and that this pandemic has allowed us to spend more time together (safely podded-up) than ever before.
8. I’m grateful for Dr. Fauci and ALL the Dr’s and Nurses (including my sister) and other essential workers who are somehow getting us through this.
9. I’m grateful for the new perspective that this year has given me on the privilege I’ve enjoyed my whole life as a white male. And that I’ve been able to take steps (small steps, but steps) to more deeply examine that and work towards positive change.
10. I’m grateful for my colleagues for their incredible hard work and belief in me and my vision.
11. I’m grateful for the new friends I’ve made this year, and the old ones I’ve kept. I’m especially grateful for my friends Al and Paul, whose text messages crack me up and make me think and feel stuff. And for the way that Al and I were able to show up for Paul when his dad passed away.
12. I’m grateful that my relationship with my mom is in a better place than it’s maybe ever been.
13. I’m grateful that I’ve taken steps to live more in line with my ideals by giving up poultry this year (after having given up beef and pork years ago). So, I’m off land animals entirely and while I still say I’m an “aspiring vegan”, I’m being kind to myself about not being all the way there yet. It’s about progress, not perfection.
14. I’m grateful for all the new people that have come into my life since my business launched, who have been supportive and exciting to talk to because we share similar passions and purposes.
15. I’m grateful for all of the time I’ve been able to spend at the lake house my family and I share. I’m especially grateful how much my wife loves it and how much all the work we’ve put into it over the years has paid off in terms of making it a lovely place to spend time.
16. I’m grateful that we flew a Black Lives Matter flag on our dock at the lake all summer – and that our neighbors were THRILLED about it (at least those neighbors who said anything about it said they were thrilled).
17. I’m grateful that my fear of financial insecurity has lessened over the years and, while it’s not gone, it isn’t the limiting force it used to be.
18. I’m grateful that we made the decision to buy an Airstream and travel full-time over two years ago – that has really come in handy in 2020 – and I’m grateful that, while air travel and international travel wouldn’t have been possible most of this year, I’ve been able to see and experience a ton of North America.
19. I’m grateful that the election is over.
20. And finally, while I have a TON to be grateful for – this year and in this life – I’m grateful that 2020 is almost over and for the promise and optimism that 2021 brings.