This week is the Thanksgiving holiday in the USA, and it has always been my favorite holidays since I was young.
I loved Thanksgiving because our family would get together for a big meal (I never understood why the Chinese version of Thanksgiving dinner included chicken instead of turkey), and also because we didn’t have to go to
school for four days!
To Me, Thanksgiving Is NOT About Shopping
For many, Thanksgiving is about family, a big meal and the super discounts offered at Black Friday shopping. As the world becomes more secular and consumerism creeps into our everyday life, I get turned off by the endless promotions for “shopping discounts,” or the sales on Black Friday, Cyber Monday, etc.
If you don’t know me, I hate shopping. I’m one of the biggest anti-shoppers you can find.
If you give me a choice to clean your bathroom or go shopping with you, I’d rather clean your bathroom. That is how much I hate walking around stores and going shopping.
To me it is the biggest waste of time, and it’s just a symbol of materialism and the endless need to consume more. Call me a caveman, but I prefer to live simple.
True Meaning of Thanksgiving
As I grow older the true meaning of Thanksgiving is more important to me. To me it is about being grateful and truly thankful for what you have.
It is a time to reflect on how I have changed and what has happened so far this year.
I normally find Thanksgiving to be a better time for reflection than New Year’s Eve. The end of the year is normally filled with Christmas celebrations and get togethers, and I don’t have as much time to really step back and think.
16 Things I Am Thankful For
Here are 16 things I am thankful for this year:
1) God – for how He has blessed me. Without him, none of the other things that I am grateful for could ever happen.
2) Kelly– my beautiful wife and the best mom. I appreciate her support, and her researching to make sure that we do the best for our son, Ethan.
3) Ethan – my beloved son, and how he is strong, healthy and smart. Taking the best vitamins—the USANA vitamins that his daddy markets—definitely helps since he is so much taller and stronger than kids his age!
He has learned to run now, and he is able to understand many more things. I can tell him to bring a book and read with daddy, and he grabs his car book and comes to sit in my lap!
4) Obi – I never think I have a dog. He is not a human either… I just don’t know how to classify him, but he is definitely my best friend and my “first son.”
I love him so much.
Obi knows me so well. Three weeks ago, when I was writing about my grandma and crying, he automatically knew something was wrong. He curled up in my lap and started licking me to comfort me.
5) My Home – I’m grateful to have a home that has enough space for my family, and also have a separate room for my home office.
Most importantly, it is walking distance to the park, and I can take Ethan to the park everyday in his little, toy car.
6) Kelly’s mom – for helping us take care of Ethan. Without her, I would not be able to do one-tenth of what I do.
7) My parents – for their love and especially to my mom, who continues to motivate and inspire me everyday.
8) My brother – He is hosting us during our Thanksgiving dinner.
9) Scott McGee – my business partner for his trust, friendship and all that he has done. Without him, I would not be where I am today.
10) My Network Marketing business with USANA Health Sciences – an amazing company with amazing products led by good, ethical corporate executives.
Not only have the products helped my family’s health and made Ethan a strong boy, but my USANA business has taught me countless valuable lessons and created a life of freedom.
11) Forgiving People – we all make mistakes, and being able to forgive and forget is an asset. That is why Jesus preaches about it. If we all became more forgiving, the world would be a better place.
12) Being able to exercise everyday – having the time and living in an area with beautiful weather where I can bike and run everyday. Exercise makes me happy, and I get my best ideas while exercising.
13) Being able to help others – creating memories is what life is about, and one of the best and most enjoyable ways to create memories is to have a positive impact on someone’s life.
Thank you to those people who put themselves out there and allow me to help them.
14) My Coaching Mastermind Groups – I love these groups, their great attitudes, and their desire to achieve more in life. In a short time I have already seen so many of them learn and grow. I look forward to our mastermind calls each week, and working with them makes every Monday enjoyable and fun!
15) Business Challenges – without the problems that I faced in 2012, I would not be where I am today. I’ve found that the tougher the problems are, the more I grow by solving them.
It is true. Life and success is a journey and you continue to grow with every step. The only way to lose is if you stop the journey and go off the path.
The funny thing is that every year I say that I learned more that year than all other years combined… and this year, I’ve learned so much just in the last three months alone! Without these lessons, I would not be where I am today.
16) Personal Challenges – life is about balance and overcoming the non-stop obstacles thrown in your way. I’ve had problems recently that seemed like disasters when they happened, but now that they are almost over, it’s clear that they were just another test from God so that I could become wiser and better.
Sometimes we complain about our problems and wish we were like others. But the reality is that if you revealed your problems in a swap meet where problems are traded, you’d gladly keep the problems you have after seeing other people’s problems.
Getting an Early Start to 2013!
2013 will be a very exciting year, and I’m setting goals and getting a head start already. January 1st is too far away, and I’m starting on my goals for 2013 today!
Please comment below and let me know the things for which you are grateful.
Sincerely,
Simon Chan
P.S. Many of you have contacted me and enjoy the lessons that I have included in my past blogs. If you are hungry and want to learn more tips on how to increase your productivity, improve your life and become more successful, I would like to invite you to become a member of Simon Chan Insider’s Circle. For a limited time Membership is FREE. Click Here to learn more.
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