Showing Gratitude this holiday season.

Leadership is lonely. You suffer plenty of setbacks and frustrations daily. To deal with these feelings of loneliness, leaders often turn to unhealthy behaviors. To avoid self-destructive activity, the authors of Psychology Today recommend that people practice gratitude even for the most minor things. In conjunction with the holiday season, I want to take some time to extend appreciation to the people who impacted me in 2024.

The year has not been easy. I dealt with chronic unemployment and the loss of my father. Along the way, I worked on some Artificial Intelligence projects at Microsoft, earned my PMP certification, and returned to work. Taking in the good with the bad, the scales for 2024 are slightly out of balance, but I look forward to the new year with a positive trajectory and better prospects.

First, I want to thank Lauren Wambold Patel for allowing me to work on AI projects. I learned a lot about artificial intelligence and its behind-the-scenes construction. The experience also taught me a few hard lessons about leadership and working with difficult people. I did not think it was a valuable lesson then, but hindsight revealed it was necessary to help me succeed in future roles. Thanks for the opportunity.

Next, I want to thank Ralph Logan and the people at Microtrain in Illinois. Losing your job is tough, especially if you're a professional, since your work heavily defines who you are. Without a job, you lose colleagues and work friends along with something to concentrate your mind. After getting laid off, you are alone and working the phones and email to find work. Thanks to ghost jobs and a competitive market, it becomes a long, drawn-out process, which resembles Franz Kafka's "The Trial" instead of a job search. Fortunately, I contacted Ralphy Logan, who made me aware of the WIOA program to earn a PMP and Lean Six Sigma Green Belt. He provided moral support and an ear to listen when I needed it. My joblessness was an experience that gave me more credentials and additional expertise to help my clients succeed. Thanks, Ralph.

I also must express gratitude toward my friends and family. I was a shell of myself thanks to an awkward grieving process and my unemployment. They stuck with me when other people might have left me. It illustrates how much people depend on me and, in turn, support me in my daily trials. From friends I play board games with to the baristas at the coffee shop who remember my name, it makes me feel less like a number and more like someone who belongs to a community. My partner Carol put up with my ups and downs, and my mother is still a source of strength and support. Being with them is one of the best parts of my life.

I also want to thank you, my readers, and my subscribers. You followed me during a difficult time, and some contacted me to ensure I was okay. It means a lot to me that you could share your attention with what I had to say and that you found it valuable. In particular, I want to single out Alan Daily and Albert C. Blanco, who shared my content on LinkedIn and Mastodon.

I hope you have a good Christmas and a happy New Year. Next week, I will look ahead to 2025 and provide my annual predictions.

Until next time.