A Gratitude Practice (Part 8)

Rob Lawless

You are a friend to over 6,000 people for a reason. This is seen via non-verbals as well as your instinct to connect like-minded individuals. Thank you for being a hub for me to a select handful of interesting people and I am so glad we were able to meet in person too. Keep doing what you are doing, because if you are out there actively making friends, that is a great thing for the world as a whole. Thank you.

Drew Binsky

You showed me the power of an Instagram DM. I never thought sending a single message could make a difference, let alone to someone with a large social media following. However, that DM connected me to Jeremy Greene which led to a digital community of travel enthusiasts and people I could seek advice from as I went on my Asia travel journey. Thank you for bringing the love of travel into our homes and inspiring us to get outside of them. Without this, it would be much harder to know what - or who - is genuinely out there. Thank you.

Arushi Gupta <3

My love, where do I begin? You are my raison d’être, constantly supporting me as I strive to be my best self. Whether through good times or bad, you are one of the first people I think of when I wake up and one of the last I speak to before going to bed.? Even in those moments of frustration, I know you have my best interests at heart and challenge me to develop into a more whole human being. We go through this life choosing who to let into our world, who we want to work through the inevitable lows with and the first person we run towards to celebrate those life highs - you are that person for me. I love you. I must stop writing here because the thoughts keep flowing but I must continue on, for you are always here with me - sometimes in person, but always in my heart.

Khamlesh Bhaiya

Hello, my brother! You are the first person I have called brother in a different language who is not my brother by blood. Your smile shines through the room and your care for those around you is noticed via the effort you put in. I try to emulate the energy at which you go through your life. Thank you.? I hope to see you again soon.

Nidup Wangchuk

First off, if it wasn’t for you I would not have my most prized framed possession. The painting of the 4 lucky symbols in Buddhism stuck with me and I have placed it at the top of the staircase. That way, I climb up to see it (similar to climbing up to Tiger’s Nest!) and it is a very motivational practice that inspires me to live up to those symbols and ideals I learned with you in Bhutan. Your infectious positivity and authenticity (singing loud and proud even when you believed you were not a good singer) allowed me to connect to myself during such a transformational trip in my life. I am doing my best to make my way back to Bhutan so we can bike around the country together! These principles I’ve mentioned dramatically shaped my approach to coaching. Thank you.

Norbu Waidya

The youngest tour guide in Bhutan, and also the most knowledgeable! You were my direct source of education for Bhutan and Buddhism. Thank you. I also really appreciate the photography you took in Bhutan and enjoy seeing all the photography you post online. It allows me to feel connected to a far off place that I long to get back to. This helped show me the power of photography and I took far more photos during my travels after we met that I can now look back on fondly and hold more memories around. Thank you for inspiring me to take that action.

Jeff Zhou

My international travel buddy, advisor, and friend - you helped me appreciate euphoric moments and overcome erratic ones when it came to travel. I am glad we have kept in touch and should plan on a meet up in Chicago soon! Some of what you taught me will continue in my global travel adventures throughout my life. The way you treated me when I had nowhere else to turn and was in a foreign country gave me hope in humanity and redefined what is important to me in a friend. Thank you.

Gyusick Ahn

Since I got back from my travels in Asia (the first one, I plan for more in my future) , many people have asked me about the people I’ve met. Each time I tell them about you: the most kind and pure soul I met. When I arrived in Korea a few days before my birthday, I anticipated celebrating alone. It was one of those moments people do not speak about around solo travel, celebrating personal milestones or holidays alone. It can be isolating and when you are already solo traveling and have been for some time, it can take a toll. However, instead of going down that route, I met you. And you turned what could’ve been one of my worst birthday celebrations into my best one yet. The photos, the memories, the people, the community thrived in that moment and I now know there is a place to come back to in Korea that connects deeper to me than the country alone. Thank you. We need to get you over here on a trip to the USA! ??

TED

In making this list, I intended for it to only be people I’ve met. And yet, I could not move past this influence this organization has had on my life. Should I thank Chris Anderson, the individual TED speakers I have watched throughout my life, or the platform itself? I cannot decide but I know we all hold the same banner: of excellence, compassion, and community. And for that I am grateful. Thank you for helping plant the seed of good ideals, morals, and values in a young kid that continues to shape him every day. Oh, and I recommend TED talks to every one of my coaching clients every week so thank you for continuing what you do so I can share this with more and more people every day. I applied for the Giving Coordinator job at TED. I am looking forward to seeing how interwoven TED can be in my life.

Lord of the Rings

The movie series that defined my childhood and is still a cornerstone to my relationship with my dad today. One day soon, the two of us will explore New Zealand together through the lens of LOTR as we have planned to for so long. It has been interesting to consistently go back to the same source material from a different point of view as I have grown up in my life. Originally, I connected with Frodo - a common occurrence to connect with the main character as a kid. And then, I saw the underlying story of the power of companionship in Samwise Gamgee. And then, I saw the power of leadership in Aragorn. LOTR is a story with so many facets that my curiosity around it may never end. Thank you J.R.R. Tolkein. If this isn’t the best example of ripple effects I do not know what is! I am thanking a man who I have never met, who died before I was born, and whose creations came organically out of his own mind. Share your ideas with others! Focus on what matters to you! I suppose I have Tolkein to thank for these realizations too.

Ernest Hemingway

Another amazing author that had a profound impact on me. Sadly, his books need new movie adaptations, but the impact of the text remains powerful. They say not to judge a book by its cover, but if I did not do that I would’ve never met you (just make sure to read the back cover of the book too!). Picking up “A Farewell to Arms” resulted in me reading for fun again and I have continued that practice for the last 8 years.? I went on a marathon of reading nearly everything you have ever written. From this, I was inspired to start my own creative writing journey, which has led to two self-published books so far. Thank you.

Music

Now this is a broad thing to thank. But the impact music has on us, regardless of what we listen to, remains the same. An avenue to connect deeper with our emotions and find healthy ways to process them. I believe music has turned into what poetry used to be (but poetry is making a modern day comeback too!). Music inspires me every day with the emotions I feel in that moment and it gives me the courage to express myself fully. Thank you to the ultimate vibe cultivator.