Yes, 2020 has been a unique year, where many of us had to step back and reassess priorities, change our routines, and learn to appreciate and communicate 6 feet apart. However, being the eternal optimist, I see that there are many things for which to be thankful this holiday.
- Many of us looked for new solutions to stay well, from integrating new supplements into our diets (have you heard there is a new plant source of wellness grander than the elderberry…the Aronia Berry from North Dakota!) to hiking, biking and swimming more. The supplement sector is projected to grow in the US to $50B this year—that’s a lot of wellness!
- Yes, we miss those exciting trade shows to share our new products, meet old and new friends, find new sales channels, and attend a few great parties. Instead, we learned to zoom—at all ages—we have become zoomers to boomers! New protocol, new presentations, and yes, we learned to ensure the camera and voice were off before we…well, did something not appropriate for those meetings.
- Throughout the sectors in which we work, we saw our farmers with vibrant crops and new appreciation of regenerative agriculture. We saw our tankless hot water heaters being installed in portable handwashing stations for first responders, for schools, for restaurants, to ensure all can wash their hands and stay safe. We saw our woman-owned businesses winning in the marketplace, from therapeutic natural supplements for autistic children to joyous puzzles that let your mind wander, to two sisters integrating their grandmother’s herbal wisdom into plant-rich skin formulas. From our seaweed harvester in Maine to our gourmet trail food from Wisconsin, each was grateful for their success, each persevered, each learned to pivot and perform at their best.
- And we all can be thankful for our freedoms, our fresh air and blue skies, our family (especially our beautiful new granddaughter, Saylor Rose) and friends, for our willingness to go the extra step for others, to be more thoughtful in our actions, to enjoy the small things we may have overlooked before, to help when not asked, to pray for those suffering, to listen more, to care.
Yes, it has been a challenging year, but I have learned being grateful for something, for someone will show us all how wonderful life truly is.
I am thankful for you and your willingness to share in the accomplishment of our dream… to Make Peace Profitable.
— Gillian