Talent Trade host Stephanie Maas breaks down the Thanksgiving lesson that listeners can carry with them EVERY day, plus her favorite Thanksgiving traditions, and the #1 thing she is a total dork about.

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Hi, and welcome to the Talent Trade.

This is Stephanie Maas, partner with Thinking Ahead Search.

So if anybody knows me at all.

You know that there are a couple of things that I am a total dork goofball over the top person about.

One is cake.

The other one is the idea of thankfulness and gratitude.

Many, many years ago when I started in the business, one of the things that was taught to me very early on was about what you can and cannot control in a 100% commission-based sales career.

And the first thing was your work habits.

Then the second thing was your attitude.

For a long time, I tried the kind of, everything's coming up, roses, sunshine, unicorns type of attitude.

And while I definitely believe in positive thinking and putting good stuff out there, it's not really who I was.

Several years into my career, I got introduced to the idea of having an attitude of gratitude.

And let me assure you.

That fit me and my personality perfectly, and I found that even in the darkest, hardest, most challenging times.

I could always find something to be thankful for.

And as we approach this holiday season, Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays for a couple different reasons.

First, I love the food, but I like that there's no other real chaos.

There's no gift wrapping.

There's, it's just getting together with people that you love.

And I'm a total wpo sitting around telling the people that you love how much you love and care about them.

And if you can't be together.

Then you're texting them or calling them or whatever the case may be.

I love that about that day.

I have the same traditions that I've had for years, which include getting up watching the Macy's Day parade while I start baking food.

I love serving others, so preparing a big meal is not hard for me.

I'm super thankful for that.

Get things going in the oven, that smell good.

Probably throw in a couple glasses of wine, get mushy, and constantly telling everyone how much I love them and how thankful I am.

This year in particular, I can't even count the incredible blessings that I've had.

I'm ridiculously thankful for my friends, my family, my health.

I am incredibly thankful that I absolutely love my job.

I am incredibly thankful for the clients that honor me by letting me represent them out in the market.

I'm incredibly thankful for my candidates.

I get to meet just some of the most incredible, interesting people.

I am thankful for this podcast and my other one that helped me grow professionally and talk about meeting some incredible people.

I truly cannot remember a time where I have been happier and happiness actually feels superficial to me.

I might have to change the word to joyful.

Nothing is perfect, and I'm not saying that there aren't things that are hard or, or difficult because there are, but I have really learned to experience things at a deeper level, which include changing the idea of going from being happy.

To being joyful.

I know the holidays aren't the same for everybody.

For some people it is a very challenging time.

I think for a lot of folks it can be a very lowly time, and I just wanna say even in the midst of all of my joy and thankfulness and gratitude.

I still think of those that it is not an easy time for.

You're in my heart.

You're in my thought.

You're in my prayers and I hope, and my wish to you is even if this holiday is difficult or challenging, I hope you can find something to be thankful for.

So thank you for listening, letting me share a little bit about me, and happy Thanksgiving.