Being an entrepreneur can be an isolating gig, but as we enter a month that orbits around gratitude, it is important to remember there is a lot for entrepreneurs to be thankful for as well.

Flexibility. Go on Glass Door, Indeed, or any job hunting website, and you’ll see tons of companies bragging about how “flexible” they are. Flexible hours, work from home opportunities, etc. It makes send why they tout this, flexibility equals freedom. But we all know that the way to true freedom and flexibility is entrepreneurship. It may not be easy, but it is the surest way to create and sustain true flexibility in your schedule and your life. 

Chasing your passion. Some people work to live, others live to work. But what about those of us who want to do BOTH? We work to fuel our rich personal lives, but we are also driven by a burning passion for what we do. There are a lot of people who work hard and make a lot of money in this world, but not all of them love what they do. As entrepreneur, you do not have to choose between money and passion, each fuels the other and you get to be the one to light the fire!

Asking for forgiveness OR permission? Think again! It is better to ask forgiveness than permission, that is how the saying goes, but when you’re an entrepreneur, the only permission you need is your own. Yes, the responsibility falls on your shoulders, but there is good that comes with that too! Gone are the days of asking the boss with our shoulders hunched over if we can do “x, y, or z,” you are the master of your own destiny!

Choosing your tribe. We spend our youth in school with others who we may or may not like because we have to. Then when we get older, and we spend our work time with others who we may or may not like because we are paid to. But when you are an entrepreneur, you have the freedom and empowerment to choose and build your tribe. As we get older, there is a lot of talk about your chosen family and entrepreneurs have the gift of curating that family through friends, employees, and the fellow entrepreneurs who lift you as you climb.

As the month of thanks marches on, think on the ways you would like to show gratitude for this incredible path you have chosen to forge for yourself. Here are some ways to show gratitude while growing your business. 

What are you doing this holiday season to show gratitude?