Celebrating our best career qualities is not as difficult as it sounds
Thanksgiving (and the holiday time after) is a time to show appreciation toward the people in our lives who have helped make things a bit easier for us. But what about us? Who thanks us? Well, we do. This year, we’ve decided to turn a little inward and thank ourselves. We asked several people to consider their own history and tell us what makes them most appreciative about themselves.
Here’s a look at what some people had to say:
“I think the thing I’m most thankful for is the fact that I majored in Spanish. I found that it opened a lot of doors for me even though nearly everyone I talked to told me that it was a waste of a major. I ended up teaching for two years in as an English as a Secondary Language tutor but ended up working for a large bank in Boston and eventually moved my way into upper management and now work with accounts in Latin America. You can never go wrong taking a second language. I’m really thankful I didn’t listen to people who told me not to.” —Terri Loverde, 38, New York
“If I’m thankful for anything, it’s when I hit rock bottom. I lived at my sister’s for about two years. She and her husband were great while I was there but when they had their second kid and they needed the extra bedroom, the one that I happened to be sleeping in. At first I was really offended and took it really personally and moved out right away and actually slept in my car for the first night while figuring out where I was going to go next. It was during those nights when I realized that I was just sort of floating through life, taking lousy jobs and then quitting to go travel and then coming back to another lousy job and then quitting to do something else. I’m kind of glad I spent the night in the car because I think that’s when I decided that I needed to get my act together, and I have been on a pretty straightforward path ever since.” —Brandon Pratt, 28, Chicago
“I’m really thankful that I decided to pass on a job in Albuquerque, N.M., after I graduated from college. I interviewed for a job with a company that actually was in my hometown of Dayton, but they were transferring a bunch of people to start a new division in Albuquerque and told me that that’s where my new job would be located. I ended up turning them down and toughed it out in Dayton for a few more months until I found a job. And at that job, I met the guy who would become my husband, and I eventually became his boss. Then he had to leave the company because we were getting married and he couldn’t work for his wife, but he’s still my husband and we have three great daughters. I’m really thankful I didn’t go to Albuquerque.” —Joanne Young, Akron, Ohio
“I’m thankful that I’m able to learn from my mistakes. I have made my fair share of errors in my career, including telling my boss once that he was a complete moron and telling another boss that he had the IQ of a pencil. Big mistakes — haunted me on references for years. Eventually, I realized I needed to change my attitude. I know people who are just as bull-headed as I am and yet they never learn to adapt their behavior. I learned, and it’s paid off in my career.” —Peter Blanco, 45, Joliet, Ill.
“I’m thankful I’m able to build apps for people that are so app crazy. I have a high school degree and took a few classes at Triton College in River Grove, but since then I’ve started working on small-scale real estate apps for a friend and a few larger-scale apps for a couple of decentsized companies. I’m thankful that I taught myself how to do that because it’s really starting to bring in some money.” —Stanley Marzubski, 26, Chicago
“I’m thankful that I listened to my dad’s advice and became a teacher. He used to tell me how wonderful a teacher I would be and I really never paid attention to him because basically I wanted to do my own thing and always envisioned myself in a job at an executive level with a large corporation. Well, two years at a large accounting firm in Chicago pretty much crushed my spirit, so I went back to Northeastern University to get my certification as a teacher. I moved to California and have had been teaching high school now for 12 years, and it is the greatest job in the world. I wish I would have listened to my dad sooner, but I’m glad that I eventually did.” —Rebecca O’Connor, Fresno
“I would say thank you for being smart enough to move on when I’m in a bad situation. I work with so many people who stay at a job because they think they’re eventually going to get a big raise or a big bonus or a big promotion, and I would say that nine times out of 10, it never works out. I’m glad I’ve been smart enough to move on when I see the writing on the wall.” —Josh Glavin, 41, Chicago
“I’m probably most thankful for is my confidence, which I learned from my mother and my sisters. I have siblings who aren’t that confident so it’s not automatic. I’ve always been sure of myself and I’ve always been fairly steady when it comes to decisions that affect my personal and professional life. And I know it’s because I have a deep belief that I can do what I set my mind to. I can do the work and I can have the kids and I can have the house and I can do all those sorts of things that women used to sing about on TV commercials. My mom was a great role model for me, so I’m thankful for her, but if I have to thank me and not her, I’m thankful I picked up on it.” —Eileen Weber, 31, Rochester, New York