5 Things I’m Thankful for This Year

This is the side of me you’d see if you were sitting at my family dinner table this week.

It’s — appropriately — the part of me that plays fast and loose with gratitude.

Not just because gratitude preserves your sanity during the most demanding of times (holiday-wise, career-wise, and other). But also because, at this comfort-food-filled table, I double down on being “The Older Sister Type Who Went to Work on Wall Street, Has a Couple Too Many Sips of Wine, and Tells You What You Deserve to Hear.”

*Clinks glass with cranberry-sauce-stained butter knife*

Today, you deserve to hear that despite the chaos of the world, the turbulence of the market, and whatever else is weighing on you in this moment, you’ve done great this year.

Really, you have. Take time before EOY to savor your successes — especially the small wins.

But if you have a hard time swallowing that, which I can understand, I’ll offer another savory take to consider: Women have done great this year.

Yes, I’m sneakily giving you more props. No, I promise it’s not just the Pinot talking. Here are five things we accomplished this year that I’m grateful for:

1. The By-Women-For-Women Economy. Points if your name is Beyoncé, Taylor, or Barbie. Extra points if you showed up and caused the economic earthquake by spending money on something so uniquely fun and feminist.

2. The Girl Math Kinda Adding Up. We morphed another patronizing money message (ugh) into a viral campaign against zero-fun budgets and financial shame holding us back. And we showed them: Pumpkin spice lattes were sipped with pride.

3. The Confidence and Power of Women Investors. 86% of women told Ellevest that investing makes them feel “powerful.” Particularly, “in control over their futures.” Shout out to you if, during a year of extreme volatility and “shiny new things,” you started investing or stayed the course and felt the power of your financial flex.

4. The Mainstream-ification of Divorce Money Advice. If you’re reading this, your favorite celebrity couple probably broke up this year. But the “summer of divorce” shined a light on money and marriage issues considered too taboo to discuss. Not anymore — and women are better off for it.

5. The Ambition of Women in the Workplace. Women IPO-ed. Women’s sports is the moment. Women led major news outlets. Women CEOs (finally) outnumbered those named John. We perform better with a bestie by our side and go further when we play together.

TL;DR: Nothing bad happens when women have more money and more power. And there’s a lot to be thankful for in that.