Be Thankful This Thanksgiving

By Jill (Staff Writer), on November 24, 2009

It’s easy to be down in the dumps these days. The economy is bad, and may or may not be improving. Unemployment remains high, savings account interest rates low, and the stock market shaky. It’s getting colder outside, which some people (ok, me!) may hate. And yet, there is much to be thankful for. If you’re reading this, you have access to a computer and the internet – while that may seem normal to you, it makes you very lucky by some standards. The very fact that you are reading this or other personal finance blogs means you are trying to improve your financial situation, regardless of what it is right now. Be thankful for the fact that you are making a step in the right direction. As recently as 2005, median income worldwide was about $1,700, and average income of individuals living in “rich” countries was $35,000. If you’re doing better than that, or even if you’re close – be thankful.

Photo by daveparker via Flickr

2009 was a rough year for a lot of people, and you might be struggling. But maybe 2010 has better things in store for you. Be thankful for the chance to take a deep breath on January 1 and resolve to make this year better. Be thankful for the chance to hope. Be thankful for the people around you, who support you in whatever it is you are facing. Many of us wish we had just a little bit more, or that our lives were, somehow, just a little bit better. But this year, try hard to stop focusing on what you don’t have – and instead be thankful for whatever it is you do have.

What I’m thankful for

This Thanksgiving, I’m thankful for the opportunity to write for this blog and share my thoughts with all of you. I’m thankful for the fact that the CFP exam is behind me, along with the associated late nights of studying…even if I won’t know the results for a few weeks! I’m thankful that I have a job that allows me the time and money to do the things that are important to me. I’m thankful for my education, my health, for a roof over my head and food to sustain me. I’m thankful for the fact that I have not one, but two places where I feel comfortable and can call home – one with my family in Texas and the other where I currently live in DC. I’m thankful that at 23 I still have all four of my grandparents. Most of all, I’m thankful for my parents, my boyfriend, my brother and the other family members and friends who show me unwavering love and support every day.

Give thanks

If you feel like you were given something to be thankful for in 2009, show your thankfulness. It could be as simple as writing a nice thank you note to someone who perked you up on a bad day, or calling up a friend who pulled strings to get you a job interview.  If you feel generally blessed by a relatively carefree day-to-day life, consider showing your gratitude by “paying it forward” – spend some time mentoring a younger person, donate some clothes or things you no longer need, make a contribution to your favorite charity, or volunteer to serve others through an organization in your community.

This year, I will certainly be celebrating with a turkey and all the fixings – but I’ll try to also spend some time reflecting on the many blessings I’ve been given, and think about how I can make life a little better for someone else in the upcoming days. I hope that you will do the same! Thanks for your support of the Moolanomy community – and Happy Thanksgiving.

What are you thankful for? Tell us in the comments!

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Jill grew up in Texas, graduated from college in 2007 and is currently working in the DC metro area. Jill recently completed a 9-month certificate program in financial planning and will take the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) exam in November. After that she hopes to become a full-time financial planner. You can also find her as a staff writer at My Dollar Plan.

All posts by Jill (Staff Writer)

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