‘Tis the season...to be thankful! As I sit down to write this post, I am thinking of all of the things I’m thankful for. That’s what we tend to do this time of year, right? If you are anything like me, you might find yourself finally recognizing things you take for granted and realizing how grateful you are them. I don’t know, maybe that’s just me...A few of the things I don’t tend to give much thought or that I take for granted are my interview skills, my reading ability, and my mother.
It took me a while to realize how well I actually interview, and while this does sound a lot like bragging, it really has less to do with me and more to do with the people who have mentored me and invested their time in me. I remember a teacher in high school talking about frequently asked questions in interviews. I made mental notes and started thinking about how I would answer them. When I mentioned this to my mom, she gave me pointers on how to better answer the questions. Sure enough, when I interviewed for a server position at a local restaurant, the questions were asked and I was prepared. Interviews are the first face-to-face interactions one has with a potential future employer, and it turns out prepping for an interview really can help! I’ve gotten some really awesome jobs partially thanks to my ability to interview well.
Growing up, reading always provided an outlet for me. My ability to read and comprehend what I read allowed me to be successful in school and higher education which paved the road to jobs I could be proud of. My love for reading started at a young age when my mom would read to me at bed time. She was teaching me without me even knowing it. I learned new vocabulary because she picked books above my reading level. I learned how to infer because we would talk about what we read and make predictions about what would happen next. I would reenact the stories with my dolls and share the new endings with my mom. Reading helped fuel my creativity and helped me learn.
My mom has always supported and loved me. She helped me through awkward middle school years, through upsets with friends and through broken hearts. She helped me with the big things, listed above, that I always saw as small insignificant things. She knew their value and worked to equip me with the skills she thought necessary for a successful life.
As we start the holiday season, I encourage you to think about those things we take for granted and see their impact. Thank people who have invested in your life. Be grateful for experiences that make you who you are and for the experiences that have brought you to where you are today. Your list may look different than mine, but we all have something to be #thankful for.
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