Sarah Hale Thanksgiving is one of the most popular holidays celebrated throughout the United States. One of the first documented Thanksgiving celebrations took place in 1621, when Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared a feast together. But the banquet, which celebrated the colonists’ first successful harvest, wasn’t just one large meal, nor did it last for only one day; in fact, the feast lasted for three days. In later years, Thanksgiving also lasted for longer than a single meal. During the time of the American Revolution, the Continental Congress chose several days throughout the year to celebrate giving thanks. Then, in 1789, George Washington made the U.S. national government’s first Thanksgiving proclamation. He used this to speak to his fellow American citizens about the Revolution’s satisfactory conclusion and encouraged them to show their thanks for the freedoms they gained. Thanksgiving became a national holiday more than 200 years after its first celebration. It gained this status largely due to the persistence of a woman named Sarah Josepha Hale. Hale was a successful magazine editor, prolific writer of novels and poems, and author of the famous nursery rhyme “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” which was first published in her 1830 collection entitled “Poems for Our Children.” A lot of entrepreneurs who have been in business for a year or more find themselves putting out so many fires at work that they may as well call themselves firefighters! Dealing with work challenges is normal — especially in the early years — but at some point, the stress level needs to plateau. Most entrepreneurs decided to build their company with the dream of more family time, personal freedom, and money, but at some point, they realize that the dream is turning into a nightmare filled with missed family time and workaholism. After months or even years of putting the needs of their businesses first, they find themselves saying, “This sucks! I want my life back!” I see it all too often — business owners missing out on their anniversary dinner, their kids’ soccer games, or a neighborhood barbecue because they feel like they can’t put the needs of their company on the back burner even for a second. It’s not that they don’t feel guilty for missing out on these times with family and friends; it’s just that they feel like they can’t step back and slow down. But in their “need” to stay on top of their business, they are being driven further away from the original goal of Entrepreneurial Freedom ™ and a great lifestyle. ‘This Sucks! I Want My Life Back!’ Take Your Life Back With a Personal Planning Workshop How Thanksgiving Became a National Holiday
In 1827, Hale began a campaign to make Thanksgiving a national holiday. For the next 36 years, she wrote numerous editorials and countless letters to state and federal
officials expressing her desire that it gain official status. In 1863, in the midst of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln finally declared it a national holiday, hoping that it would help heal the wounds of the country.
Lincoln decided that the holiday would take place on the last Thursday of November. It was celebrated on that day until 1939, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving a week earlier in the hopes of increasing retail sales during the Great Depression. However, this plan was very unpopular, and in 1941, the president reluctantly signed a bill making Thanksgiving the fourth Thursday in November. Without the efforts of Sarah Hale, we might not have the pleasure of the Thanksgiving feast we know and love to this day. This year, give thanks for family, good food, and the resolve of one woman who recognized the importance of Thanksgiving as a national holiday.
I can help you get your life back. I will help you strategically reset your business so you can incorporate the needs of your company, employees, and clients alongside your own personal needs. Most entrepreneurs try to achieve that so-called “work-life balance” by compartmentalizing their professional and personal lives. We will work together to find a way for you to incorporate both so you can finally Do Business On Your Own Terms ® . My “I Want My Life Back!” Personal Planning Workshop is an intensive day-and-a-half session where you and I will dig deep into your business and come up with specific business and personal goals. We will come up with a long-term plan with several benchmarks along the way, and we’ll also schedule six “Momentum Calls,” where I’ll call to check in on your progress and make sure you are staying on track. One description of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and hoping for a different result. If you’re feeling trapped in your business, don’t waste another minute. Take back your life! Go to oyot.com and click on Ways to Work With Us today.
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