“When gratitude becomes an essential foundation in our lives, miracles start to appear everywhere.”- Emmanuel Dalgher

In less than a week from now, just about everyone in the United States will celebrate the best holiday of the year. At its best, this is a holiday about gratitude, about family, and about great memories and good people who came into our lives. It brings people together to not only celebrate the end of the harvest but to look one in another in the eye and share something magical- from achievements to favorite memories, it’s time to celebrate the successes throughout the year.

To Begin with, I am thankful for so many things in my life as there are many in this world that are less fortunate than me. We take too many things for granted and need to stop and take a look at what we have in our lives as it can be gone without warning. I’m grateful for the supportive people in my life, both personally and professionally, and those who allow me to be expressive and being able to share ideas without judgment.

One of the major changes this year for me is my new job at Persistent Systems. I have experienced a wide array of work environments, ranging from awesome to awful. These experiences have taught me that the type of work environment directly impacts both my personal and professional life. Though I’m still exploring to settle into a set role, I don’t feel a pressure to constrain myself to one team or another. Working across teams means that I can see connections between all the work we do, and choosing my own role allows me to create, customize my work to what I’m really good at. This sense of freedom to be able to wander and learn is something that I’m so thankful for. I’m a firm believer in the quote “life is what you make it.” I understand that everyone, especially in the Sales/Delivery/Marketing professions, has long weeks at work with tight deadlines, upset clients and of course the numbers to meet. The other day I was listening to some friends complaining about having to return to work after (the long weekend, the holiday, etc.). I couldn’t help but think about how fortunate I am that I don’t feel that way and I look forward to coming to work because I love what I do. People rarely succeed unless they have fun and enjoy in what they are doing.

In the short time I’ve worked here, I’ve established a trusting relationship with my bosses/ co-workers and am very grateful for the opportunity given to me to work with the successful team. Special mention here is to Sudhir Kulkarni, Sanjeev Verma, Pavan Reddivari Hemant Ramnani Kiran Naik and Jacqueline L. White - I’m thankful to be part of this incredible team of professionals and can’t wait to see what the future holds.

Finally, I am thankful for Our world. A beautiful, ever-changing, awe-inspiring place. Gratitude magnifies our experience of the good things in life, enabling us to enjoy them more thoroughly.

What has motivated, inspired, enlivened, awakened, and otherwise comforted and thrilled you in 2017?