Counting our Blessings

Today’s Wall Street Journal has an interesting piece the nature and science of gratitude. Not surprisingly, people who are more thankful are also happier in general. Initially, I sat down to write a post about all the things we can collectively appreciate here at InkHouse – more employees, more clients and a new office space in 2010. But then I sent an email to everyone at InkHouse asking them to share their personal lists. Their responses made me laugh and cry so I’ve posted them below verbatim – they’re better than anything I can write.

Meg:

• Thankful that I am actually living my dream of having my own agency and a family -- without feeling compromised in either camp (which leads me to my next thankful item)
• For a business partner who supports me personally and professionally, and who without, InkHouse would not be possible
• For clients like Nuance, Raytheon, and several others who could choose to partner with any the largest agencies in the US, yet choose us. They believe in us, we are grateful for that and work hard to earn it
• For great clients like AdMeld, Coveo, KickApps, 5Min, Demandware, and other young companies that bet on us to help them make their mark on the world. We are fortunate to work with you
• For an amazing staff that is comprised of some of the smartest, most talented and funniest people I have ever met. If you have not met them, you are missing out
• For a husband and two daughters who make every day worth living

Christina:

• The basics, being able to spend time with family and friends, good office mates and my health

Elena:

• A friendly work environment and being part of this inspiring, knowledgeable and supportive team
• My family and friends…and for not having to take the train in the morning (as I work outside the city now)

Ericka:

• My dog whose optimism inspires me every day. He can’t run up a tree to catch a squirrel but gosh darn it, he still tries every time

Greg:

• The fact that I have a place to go at the end of the day where I'm warmly welcomed
• Good friends met in strange ways
• Fantastic faces
• Delicious beer - Dogfish 60 FTW!
• Awesome video games

Jen:

• The unconditional love my 4-year old son gives me
• Having a job in an economy where many people do not
• Being able to put food on the table and presents under the tree this year!

Jim:

• I’m thankful for Tyler Seguin

Leslie:

• An exciting new job!
• The health of my family
• Taste buds to enjoy the upcoming Thanksgiving feast
• Internet, salt and duct tape—without them, the world just wouldn’t be the same

Linda:

• My big family, great friends and hysterical co-workers
• My iPhone
• Joanne Chang’s homemade pop tart recipe

Lisa:

• Amazing mentors, inside and outside of the office

Michelle:

• Having phenomenally supportive, loving and hilariously entertaining friends and family to spend time with…and cranberry sauce

Samantha:

• How we work hard here but never lose our sense of humor
• Any food with pumpkin as its main ingredient
• The smell of Elena’s mango hand cream

Scott:

• A great job and an inviting work environment with colleagues who get it
• A firm that encourages creativity instead of stifling it: at InkHouse, clever ideas actually make it from the conference room to execution—and those ideas come from ANY and all of us.
• Growing family. As my family's older members become cherished memories, my greatest consolation is growing the next generation and creating new memories :)
• Dark meat — you can keep the cranberry sauce and white meat, pass me a leg, some potatoes and gravy—and ok, maybe a little stuffing and carrots.
• The Internet—how dreary would life without be without Google and free access to online media content. I still remember the days of forgetting (for example) an actor's name, and hoping you'd run into someone you knew who might have the answer—it could drive you crazy for days before you ran into someone who knew what the heck you were talking about…Now we can just Google up a serving of instant gratification as needed.

As for me, I am grateful for this team of smart, creative and amazing people who make me look forward to coming into the office each day. I have a wonderful family – a daughter who helps me enjoy every minute, a husband who reminds me who I am, parents who helped me believe in possibility, and a brother and sister who inspire me. InkHouse has given me so many amazing things, most of which is my business partner, Meg, who makes my ideas better, stands beside me, and shares the journey.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!