My health, my family, my friends, my career, the places I’ve visited and the people I’ve met, the good days and the bad days, the joyful times and painful times, the gift of life — I’m thankful for it all.
Gratitude and optimism is something I’ve been struggling with lately. Letting my pain and heart ache tell me I will never have the strength to get up or that there’s no light at the end of the tunnel. Working day in and day out just to keep myself busy – but this is why I left EY so I’d never have to overwork myself again or closing myself off because I lost my confidence. But this pain and this time, is a season for me to focus on my strengths, to focus on me, and to figure out how I can be better than who I was yesterday. To actively pursue some of my dreams, or things that have been on the back burner but never touched, and a chance to prove to myself that I’m capable and the best has yet to come in my life.
My family especially my Grandmother. Is a big part of my reason to give thanks everyday. That behind every success I’ve ever accomplished and my failures, they were right beside me and cheer for me during the best and hard days.
The switch from finance to data is something I talk about too frequently. But I can’t thank my team enough for their support in my professional and personal life. The fact I work with men, and they advocate for my mental health and my career development, is something invaluable. That when I asked if I could work from home for an indefinite amount of time due to personal issues, they asked if there was more they could do for me or if I wanted time off. After 5 weeks, I have finally returned to the office. And the smiles, the welcome back greetings and the hugs I received walking back in, really amplified my belief that I feel at home wearing blue and white.
The gift of friendship. The friends I’ve made from CFC, FOCUS, UNF, Hollister, EY, D&B, Camp Gladiator, St. John’s, my womb to tomb crew, are the biggest blessings yet. That these individuals defend me, heal my internal pain that Advil can’t, and love me like no other.
My family reminds one another that health is wealth. That we have to take care of ourselves and love ourselves. Health plays a prominent part with why we travel so frequently. I can exercise weekly and try to make sure I eat properly, but both sides of my family have a long time history of heart disease. We never know what might happen tomorrow. And so we take our chances and try to make every moment count. That if there’s a day we can’t walk, move or grow old, we can look back and say “I got to see the world.”
The ability to love and be confident with who I am. Despite my flaws and areas where I can continue to grow, I’m unapologetic for who I am. I’ll always look for areas of improvement. But I will not change what I consider the good parts in my heart. And it’s a shame that society will tell you, you can’t be nice and that going the extra mile is a waste of time— because it sets yourself up for disappointment. My parents taught me that though there may be times where our hands are empty, our hearts are always full.
While I tell myself from time to time that I’m weak and I look down on myself, my friends, family and even colleagues have pushed me to get back up. I’m slowly starting to believe that there’s no reason to be hard on myself. And even if I don’t stand back up immediately, I think it’s still a win when I put a foot on the ground and get ready to stand. While I wake up everyday and wonder what’s the goal or the mission, why was I given another day, it can only go up from there and not enough money will ever buy us more time. Although I may struggle to believe and understand sometimes life is a gift, I know it is and all I want to do is be thankful for it all. That each day poses new blessings and sustains old ones.
May this upcoming holiday season be a reminder for us all, to cherish all the moments, spend time with our loved ones, take time to take care of yourself, and give thanks for even the smallest things in life.
Jamie Vergara 