My Top-10 Thankful-4s

November 30, 2014

Four weeks, three Welsh kitty cats, two LA trips and one half-marathon later: the blustery, magical and nonsensically summer-like month of November has somehow come to an end. Like I typically do at the start to any month, I have sat down -- in preparation for a journey of health, intent and reflection -- to ready myself for the remaining thirty-one days of 2014.

Our proudest accomplishment of 2014 (or maybe ever)

My yoga membership resumes this Wednesday; I have a date [with a Harvard grad, nbd] on Tuesday... and I finally run again -- beginning tomorrow! Combined with a renewed commitment to written reflection, I am off to a great start. I will not allow any negative or unforgiving influences, nor my temporary distance from my cat Simba, nor my busy Q4 work schedule combined with any other challenge to get me down.

Instead, I will embrace 1) the freedom I can enjoy this month, 2) the travel that I am blessed with this month, and 3) the holidays and good cheer that grace us this time of the year. I will commence by celebrating, here, the top ten things that I am and was most grateful for this past weekend -- while relaxing in my beloved hometown of Newbury Park.

1. My family. My mom's bold candor and undying commitment to the littlest things, from our stocking stuffer orders to our indulgent Thanksgiving feast last week; my Dad's unconditional determination to provide for us and my sisters' passions and compassions all shined through this past [long] weekend of closer-than-usual proximity. I realize that I'm grateful to have had two best friends while growing up, as well as two confidantes and now friend/roommates all along... not to mention the fact that I am still a brief flight away from being able to spend some quality time with all of them, in the cozy comfort of our NP living room.

(1.5 The fact that the Welsh girls are all of legal drinking age. Alcohol provided bouts of giggles and much-needed tension-release this weekend!)

2. My extended family. Talia has been top of mind this year, the newly sister-like cousin who's now my neighbor and was temporarily my roommate; I feel so blessed to have shared silly yet historic milestones with her in the past five months, including but not limited to her final year of trick-or-treating and shopping for her first-day-of-high-school. Additionally, [Chloe's bff] Briona is like another sister in seasons of love like Thanksgiving at the Welsh's; my friends from SoCal - old and new - have been unspeakably reliable and reassuring in this period of life change!

3. Newbury Park. The beautiful little town in which we grew up granted me so many lifelong friends: from the likes of my kindergarten-soulmate Chelsea to high school sisters like Alyss, Britt, Breanna, and Jenna. In addition to the nostalgic landmarks that we frequent around NP - such as the grassy field aside Manzanita Elementary School (see bottommost picture in this post) - Newbury also holds countless love-filled memories, two perfectly-cordial ex-boyfriends (who I ran into this weekend) and...best of all? Treats unrivaled in all the lands. Leading me to...

4. Sesame Inn, Burger Express (specifically their breakfast burritos), and Brendan's: homes to the comfort foods, family traditions and guilty pleasures of my younger days. Enough said.

5. My work, my family there and my astoundingly inspirational company. At the company that's sole purpose serves to connect (as is my passion) the world's professionals, I am so lucky to have found several, authentic dreams for humankind in which I can take part -- as well as a place where I can build my communication and interpersonal skill-sets, business acumen and professional candor in the meantime.

6. Apple Retail. Mary W and Taylor Meadows (in addition to countless more) brought to my attention most of the most valuable leadership traits and customer/relationship/ownership philosophies in my personal repertoire. My former colleague, then close friend and now renewed colleague and partner, Taylor, also made it possible for me to take the next leap forward in my professional journey -- and move to San Francisco with LinkedIn.

7. The Lowerres, specifically. In the way that my Dad's entire side of the family has been so unconditionally helpful and generous over the years, Nancy and Dave (+T and the kitties) have allowed me to enjoy a comfortable transition while welcoming me into their home.

8. My USC family. S&S, Nels and Junius are my motivational mentors and mentees; Bayan is my brother-from-another-mother, my rock and my motivational mirror; each has helped reveal who I want to be in this past year, and have always pushed me to be better.

9. Simba and Nala. Mine and Kirb's fated stroke of luck mixed with a leap of faith last year led to one of the best decisions we've ever made, leading only to love and friendship in the potentially-loneliest of times! I'm - admittedly - a cat lady and damn proud of it.

10. Sisterhood. It has had the most prominent and endless presence of all things spiritual, emotional, and communal in my life during the past eleven months. From Kirby and Chloe to Katniss and Charlotte, the unconditional affection of sisterhood has given me the strength to leap into a life-wide "180." From Chelsea, with whom I shared two unrivaled and memorable adventures this year, all the way to the Britts, Jenns and Alyssas of my youth and the uncovered San Francisco gems that were Shira and Stephanie in this time called adulthood: sisterhood is what has permitted me to share, to feel, to cry, and to fail... all the while knowing I'm anything but alone.