#thankful

I’m a pretty happy person. I love life and feel as though I often take a step back and am thankful for what I have. You can either do it on your own. Or you can be put in a situation that forces you to take a step back, take a deep breath, re-evaluate, re-act and then … be thankful.

The last part [the being thankful] is the most difficult. It’s easy to complain. It’s easy to be frustrated or upset. What’s hard is to take things in stride and appreciate it’s purpose in your life.

This is exactly what happened to me recently. A forced situation. An unwelcome situation. A curveball in the game of life. The worst part? It involved people who I considered to be really good friends. What I’ve learned over the last 26 years? You cannot always control the situation you’re put in. You can only control your reaction. Sometimes you lose friends or things change and that can be hard, but the tough stuff molds who you are and I have faith that it has purpose.

Does it suck on a certain level? Yes. But I can honestly say I’ve never been more thankful in my life. PERIOD.

• I’m thankful for the friends I have that are true, honest and loyal.
• I’m thankful that I have a supportive, loving family.
• I’m thankful for my full-time job and the opportunity to launch Groupon Now & Rewards in South Florida.
• I’m thankful that I paid off my LASIK!
• I’m thankful for the chance to follow my dreams.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is just the TIP of the iceberg…