November is a time when many of us stop and think about the things we are grateful for. With Thanksgiving approaching in the U.S., I have been reflecting on my own list, and this year it is an especially long one. If I took the time to name and explain each one, I might fill this entire issue of PSJ. So, I will not take you on that journey with me, but I would like to share a few things I am especially grateful for this year.

First, I am grateful for my faith and my family, both biological and otherwise. My entire life, I have been surrounded by a village that has continued to grow through meaningful relationships where friends became family. I jokingly say in many ASSP settings that everyone is my cousin, but there is some truth behind it. I genuinely engage with people with the intent of making a connection.

Second, I am thankful for my health. In our profession, we sometimes see incidents that have lasting effects on individuals, their families and their colleagues, including impacts on their physical and mental health. I am grateful for the many resources available to me that help me care for my whole self.

Those resources do not always involve going to a doctor. Sometimes, wellness means taking a vacation and disconnecting, spending a long weekend with friends simply enjoying each other’s company or taking a “me” day and doing only the things you want to do, even if that means binge-watching television. Whatever wellness looks like for you, I challenge you to make your physical and mental health a priority. As professionals, we pride ourselves on taking care of others. Let us make sure we are giving ourselves the attention we need as well.

That leads me to the third thing I am grateful for: our profession. When I graduated from college, I had no idea I would find the wonderful EHS profession. I often tell people that EHS was created for me. Safety satisfies my need to connect and protect, the environmental side satisfies my engineering brain, and health brings it all together so I can support the whole worker.

This profession has challenged me to think outside the box, embrace the unknown, and see operations and the world in new ways. It has also allowed me to meet so many people, share our stories and cultures, and learn from one another’s life experiences. Those connections have reminded me that while our experiences may be different, we share a common commitment to protecting people and improving lives.

Finally, I am thankful for ASSP. More than 20 years ago, when my dear friend Don Cross introduced me to our Society, I had no idea what I was getting into or where this journey would take me. ASSP respects its members and works hard to meet us where we are in our careers. It also provides many opportunities to find communities that support the different dimensions of who we are, from our industries and geographies to our backgrounds and experiences.

Through this association, I found members of my personal “board of directors” who hold me accountable in many areas of my life, not just professionally. Through ASSP, I know I can find someone who can help when I encounter a professional challenge and do not have the answer. And it is this association whose members placed their trust in me to lead us during this season.

I am grateful for all these things and so many more. We are all on a journey, and as we enter this season of gratitude, I encourage you to take a moment to think about what you are grateful for and perhaps about the people who have helped you along the way. Sometimes, simply recognizing those people can remind us just how much we have to be thankful for.