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Almost exactly a year ago, in fact a year ago this coming Tuesday, I received a “gift” in the disguise of a very unpleasant surprise. Some of you reading this know what this surprise was, and for those of you who do not, the details of what it was are not important. What is important to know is that sometimes in life you are presented with a less than ideal situation or happenstance. When faced with such a situation, sometimes it’s not what it seems and like all things in life, there is a reason why you are presented with the situation for all its good, but moreover for all of the challenges it may present.

“To be able to do the things we want sometimes requires the performance of a few we don’t… it is not what happens that counts, it is how you react to them. Your mental attitude determines what you make of it, either a stepping stone or stumbling block.” ~Bruce Lee

 As Thanksgiving approached this year, I could not help but to reflect back upon this time last year and the challenges that I was faced with at that time. I also could not help but to think truly how much I have to be grateful for as a result of having to face and overcome those challenges.

“The value of frustration… Without frustration you will not discover that you might be able to do something on your own. We grow through conflict.” ~Bruce Lee

 Last year at this time, I was the only thing that was holding myself back from moving forward professionally; I was teetering on the edge of a cliff but for some reason I could not make the leap. Without conscious effort on my own, the Universe decided that it was time for me to jump, whether I wanted to or not; and so I was presented with “the gift”. Although extremely challenging, I held my own and persevered through the 6 weeks of frustration of managing and overcoming this unpleasant surprise only to be even more gifted with a year of prosperous growth and good fortune both personally and professionally.

So this year, at Thanksgiving I gave thanks to this “gift” that was presented to me almost a year ago to date. I gave thanks to all of those, personally and professionally, who stood by me and helped me to get through that very challenging time and still remain by my side a year later; those friends, family and clients who have watched all that has flourished over the past year as a result of this “gift”. For that, I am very grateful as this Thanksgiving 2012 passes, and I look forward to next year at this time to see even how much more this “gift” grows into many more true, pleasant & bountiful gifts.

Adversity is like a rainfall… cold, comfortless, unfriendly to man and to animal; yet from that season have their birth the flower the fruit, the date, the rose, and the pomegranate.” ~Bruce Lee