A few months ago I discovered J. Cole’s 2014 Forest Hills Drive album. The last track on it (“Note to Self”) features 10 minutes of the artist thanking everyone who played role in making it. Something about hearing genuine thanks being given always gives me that extra push when I need it. Listening to it this week got me thinking about all the things I need to be grateful for.

I won’t lie, the last few weeks have been tough. I’ve been running around trying to get things done, and haven’t had many moments to sit and reflect. Hell, when I do I can only think of all the things I have to do and feel guilty for even taking the moment to reflect.

But in all the crazy, I think of how lucky I am to have all of the crazy going on. Tobias van Schneider wrote an awesome article titled The Worst Case Scenario. In it, Tobias talks about the path that got him where he is, and how he copes with the stress of making decisions through reflecting on that path. As business owners, we feel this stress all the time. Whether you’re a team of 1 or 100, every decision can feel like it carries the weight of the world. You stay up at night feeling anxious and tired, worrying about what lies ahead.

But in that moment of stress, sometimes we realize the glimmer of hope: that we’ve made it this far. We’ve all been on different paths but have gotten to where we are through persistence. We’re faced with big decisions and we push ourselves because we believe in ourselves. I truly don’t think any of us would be where we’re standing if we didn’t.

So, what do I have to be grateful for? Everything.

All of the good, all of the bad, all of the crazy… I can sincerely say it’s all worth it. It doesn’t make the stress any less stressful or the crazy any less crazy, but it makes me appreciate all of the good times that much more. It doesn’t make me stop fighting, it gives me that extra energy to continue pushing for those feelings of euphoria. I’m sincerely blessed for the people around me (my team, my mentors, my clients), and the ability to do what I love on a daily basis.

Those rough patches will continue coming, and decisions will be made that in hindsight we’ll doubt, but as long as we keep being grateful, I truly believe it’ll help fuel us through it all. 

One last thing before I let you go: I don’t think we tell each other enough how grateful we are for each other. We’re also so often the last people to receive thanks as we’re “the boss” (and sometimes we really need it the most). This week, let’s make sure we take a moment to thank those around us from the heart. Not just the usual “thank you” we pass around when someone holds the door open or hands you a coffee, but one that lets them know why you’re grateful.

Thank you.