In the past month, I’ve had 3 people close to me pass away. The main positive I can take away from this is that you have to let your family and friends know how much you appreciate them every opportunity you get.

I moved to New York over a year ago and I didn’t know anyone. One thing I did know was that I had to surround myself with great people. There are close to 9 million people living on top of each other in Manhattan, and if you don’t have a strong support group, the city can be very challenging. I believe in the phrase “You become who you hang out with.” That’s why it is so important to surround yourself with people who will not only be supportive, but who will also challenge you to become a better person. Here are a few of my friends that I am very thankful for.

Frank Zorrilla (@zortrades) I joined Frank’s money management firm last year. One of greatest traits a trader can have is EMOTIONAL CONTROL. By far, Frank is the calmest trader I know. To me, managing money is an intense profession and there can be a lot of pressure to perform. Frank keeps me grounded and constantly reminds me to stay level-headed. I am very grateful for this, as it really helps my trading.

J.C. Parets (@allstarcharts) The greatest part about J.C. is he is one of the happiest people I know. Nothing gets him upset (besides Florida Gator fans). I’ve worked out of his office a few times this year, and I’ve had great trading days every time. It’s probably because we’ve got music cranking and we’re always joking around. Notice the theme here: Put yourself in a strong state of mind and it will definitely help your trading.

Josh Brown (@reformedbroker) What can I say about Josh? Besides being one of the most genuine people I know, the man is a machine! He brings amazing information to his blog and TV on a CONSISTENT basis. It’s inspiring because I wish I had his energy. Whenever we meet up for drinks, the conversations are so good that I always tell him people would pay money to listen in.

I would like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! I am very grateful for all my readers, followers, and the people who have kept me inspired. Remember to surround yourself with positive people who can lift you higher and challenge you to become a better person.

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