Thanksgiving has come and gone; but I would be remiss if I did not use the time to reflect on my lives (personal and professional) and consider what makes me thankful. 2015 has been an odd year for me—business has been steady, a few new opportunities have surfaced, I survived the “Bummer Summer” (dead car, house getting robbed, and knee surgery) and am now looking forward to a positive 2016 with great anticipation. I have a lot of friends who are teachers and as the kids return to school this week, many will be toting vacation “homework” which undoubtedly included a “What am I thankful for” list. In that vein, I offer mine!
When I was 8, I am sure I was thankful for my Schwinn Stingray bike. As a teen, I was probably thankful for nothing—aren’t we all miserable as teens? But today, I wanted to take inventory of my professional thanks. And while some may see this as a cop-out column (ok it is to a degree) — I think it is a good exercise for us all to put things in perspective.
- I am thankful that I have a career that I continue to love and that provides an income to provide for my family.
- I am thankful for a huge network of friends and colleagues to whom I can turn for help on any issue related to travel.
- I am thankful that our economy seems to have rebounded; but am concerned that recent events may cause a dip in travel interest.
- I am thankful for the clients that have supported me over the years and I appreciate their business. And I will be sending them all holiday cards to let them know.
- I am thankful that I have forged some solid relationships with my suppliers over the years which have yielded true partnerships. You know who I am taking about!
- I am thankful for the wonderful acceptance of TRO as THE site for travel professionals and I am particularly thankful for the agents who contribute—it is a pleasure and honor to work with you.
- I am thankful and excited about the new initiatives coming out of TRO that will likely be game changers for agents across the nation.
- I am thankful that TRO has continued to grow and grow; and am thankful and proud that I have been a part of it from the very beginning in 2008.
- I am thankful for deciding to get into this circus we all call “travel” 18 years ago. YIKES!
What about you? What makes you thankful in your life? Leave a comment and we will collate them all for a future column!