On Being Thankful

Thankfulness might be a little harder to come by this time of year, especially if you’re preparing for some empty chairs around the table and video chat screens arranged in the living room.

But, once you get past the face masks and Zoom lag, you will still be with the people who matter to you the most.

Even at a distance, family time is something to be thankful for, as are these four experiences that helped all of us make the most out of a challenging year.

1 – Staying Connected

Big tech companies receive a mix of fair and unfair criticism on a wide variety of issues. But most folks would agree that the pandemic would have been much more challenging without video chat, shares, likes, steaming movies, and two-day shipping.

Even in lockdowns, we were never more than a few taps away from checking in on grandma or reading the latest advice from health care experts.

And as we found new ways to stay connected to our families, our culture, and our communities, we also gained a new appreciation for those in-person bonds that we won’t take for granted once the pandemic is over.

2 – Work We Did … And Will Do

Many of our business goals had to be recalibrated on the fly as we adjusted to the pandemic. And while you might be disappointed that Covid-19 stalled your progress on some major initiatives, the smaller professional victories you achieved are worth celebrating.

Completing a digital pivot, collaborating with remote teams, and delivering products and services to anxious customers are all significant achievements that will help you build momentum heading into the next year.

Working from home might also have given you a new perspective on your work-life balance and long-term professional goals.

Follow your gratitude for these experiences, and you could find yourself on a new, more fulfilling career trajectory.

3 – Rediscovering the Outdoors

Covid-19 closed many of our favourite indoor social spots. But it also opened us up to the great outdoors.

Instead of packing into movie theatres and restaurants, we packed our families into the car and explored the National Park System.

We took long walks with our spouses, discovered new bike trails, lowered our handicaps, and set up backyard sports camps for our kids.

Getting outside didn’t just help our physical health; it also enabled us to unplug from the daily whirlwind so that we could reflect, recharge, and start looking ahead.

4 – The Promise of 2021

Potential Covid-19 vaccines are maybe the brightest light we can see at the end of the 2020 tunnel.

Thanks to the tireless work of the medical community, there’s reason to be hopeful that some normalcy could return next year. You and your family might already be looking forward to making up for missed birthday parties and cancelled vacations.

But once we do manage to control Covid-19, the pandemic and its aftereffects will continue to have a significant impact on how we live and work. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Changes to how your company operates could lead to new jobs. Changes in your work-life balance might affect how you feel about your home.

Changes in education might affect how you and your teenagers plan for college.

Changes in technology could create new ways to keep us connected and to help us achieve our most important goals.

These are challenges, but they’re also opportunities. And if we approach them with openness and gratitude, our horizons will look much broader in 2021.

Our whole team wishes you and your family a safe and Happy Thanksgiving.

Let’s talk soon about the opportunities that you’re most grateful for and other vital items on your year-end financial planning checklist.