This month, we want to express our thanks, for health, employment, and peace. We hope you and yours are keeping well. We’ve all learned a lot this year.

We ran an internal poll to ask about some things our team is thankful for. Here are some highlights:

What are you most thankful for this year (personally or professionally)?

Disruption.

The health of my family and friends.

Staying home meant more quality time with my family.

What’s one thing you learned this year that you’re extra thankful for?

You are not in control! Don’t let your happiness hinge on whether things are going the way you want them to.

I’ve learned to set short-term, manageable goals for myself. Every three months, my boyfriend and I sit down (usually with a libation) and write a list of things we want to accomplish in that time span… I’m thankful for this practice because it gives me sense of purpose in a time when travel and social opportunities are limited.

Did a contractor or client do something this year that made you give extra thanks? What was that experience like? How did you thank them?

Several of our clients gave us really helpful feedback this year! One in particular provided an extremely detailed, glowing review with feedback from their learners. We were able to use this information in a white paper that has become a helpful tool for sharing our work with other organizations.

Who inspires you right now that you’d like to thank?

Jerry Colonna, his work has made me explore where I come from and how that affects my life. The saying that has made the largest impact is: “Until we make the unconscious conscious, we will be dictated to by it and call it fate.”

I’m incredibly inspired by David Heinemeier Hansson (DHH), CTO of Basecamp and co-author of “Rework,” “Remote,” and “It Doesn’t Have to Be Crazy at Work.” He is also a big evangelist for transparency and ethics in tech and business. I have learned a lot from him this year, and I want to continue to adjust our culture to make it an incredible place to work for employees, contractors, and clients.

Educators. There are immense challenges in the education system, no matter if it’s kindergarten or higher education. I am inspired by those who have embraced the difficult shift to distance learning and I thank them for their dedication to teaching.

What’s your favorite Thanksgiving food, if any?

Day 2 cold turkey sandwiches on white bread.

I have a three-way tie: coconut custard pie (my Granny’s recipe), mashed sweet potatoes with tiny roasted marshmallows on top, and my dad’s baked beans.

What’s your favorite Thanksgiving tradition, if any?

Perhaps this is a bit odd, but I’m willing to own it. Historically, one member of my family will choose the ‘Disgusting Video of the Year.’ We rotate this responsibility each year. Everyone, including my very innocent grandmother, will gather around a computer to watch it.

Day naps.

Anything else you’d like to share?

I am thankful for the team we have put together at Ninjas. It is such a great group to work with and the support we have for each other makes it a great place to work.

Thankful for the growing Learning Ninjas family 🙂

I am super thankful for this company and what it’s become and what it is becoming.

For a Ninja, I’m not very stealthy.

This was a fun team activity. It’s good to pause and take time to reflect, especially in a year like this.

Be well and be kind to each other.