What are you thankful for in 2019?

With Thanksgiving coming up this week here in the US, I've been trying to spend some time thinking about all the things I'm grateful for.

I was reminded recently (by my very smart wife ??) that through gratitude, and taking stock of all the great things in our life, we can improve our mood, motivation, and general outlook on life.

So this post is dedicated to sharing some of the things I'm most grateful for, and hopefully to encourage others to do the same.

1. I'm so very thankful to have a wife who is truly my best friend; who is supportive of all of my dreams and ambitions, and who stood supportively by my side all this year while writing my book, organizing events, and traveling the world to speak. Without the foundation of our marriage and her support, I couldn't do any of the exciting things I've been able to do this year.

2. I'm so grateful to be in a position to help people, even if in very small ways. It means the world to me to help people and see them succeed whether through teaching, mentorship, encouragement, content, etc. This type of global collaboration and uplifting is one of the really amazing parts of today's internet age and I think helps cut through some of the negativity that comes along with our modern, hyper-connected society.

3. I'm thankful and humbled to have made connections and built friendships with some truly amazing people over the past 1-2 years. Through my involvement in the Android community, I've cultivated relationships with people that inspire me both personally and professionally; who have opened my eyes to different perspectives and cultures; who demonstrate passion and zest for life that I count myself fortunate to witness and hope to emulate in my own life. Early in my career, I thought I enjoyed technology to avoid the challenges of people. Today, it's the exact opposite. My interest in technology is primarily in people; both the people it impacts and those who build it. I'm so excited to continue meeting people from all walks of life, getting to know them, growing as a person, and hopefully building excited things together along the way.

“The root of joy is gratefulness.”

- David Steindl-Rast

If you're celebrating Thanksgiving this week, I wish you the very happiest of Thanksgiving holidays! If you don't celebrate Thanksgiving, I wish you the happiest of weeks.

In either case, I encourage you to take some time and think about what you're thankful for.