Finding Gratitude in All Things
- By: Jessica Faust | Date: Jan 24 2018
There was a time when I pushed through life in a blur, always looking for the next thing, or something bigger. I missed so much. Instead of celebrating each little thing, no matter how small, I worried it wasn’t enough, or there should have been more, or I wanted bigger.
In Summer 2016 I started a Gratitude Journal and I’m so, yes, grateful I did. It’s made me a happier person and opened my eyes to how lucky I am and how wonderful my life, and my job, are. The other day I finalized a deal for two more books in a series I absolutely love, something I can honestly say I’ve spent much of my career looking for. The deal wasn’t huge. It’s not going to make publishing records or pay enough for either the author or I to retire on. But it’s two more books in a series that is just starting out. It’s a series the author, I, and now the publisher, feel passionate about. And that is something to really celebrate and feel gratitude for.
As I got the final details of the deal from the editor, I felt a huge grin spread across my face and a true sense of joy in my heart. It made me wonder. How many deals have I accepted without that grin? How many careers started with me thinking it wasn’t enough? I made a vow in that moment never to let it happen again. Never would I let another deal pass my desk without a grin and a celebration.
Every day I feel blessed to sit in this office, surrounded by books and framed New York Times bestselling covers and working and talking with authors I adore. So in today’s gratitude journal entry, I am writing about all of that and more.
Hi Jessica,
I felt your radiant joy in this uplifting post.
Congratulations on your book deal.
Every day I look forward to the Bookends post. I have to say that THIS post, and the Time Blocking post, are my two favorites to date. Thank you, Jessica, for taking the time to share your wisdom.
Jessica, thanks for these inspirational blog posts. They get my day going with a smile. I’m just finishing The Little Book of Hygge (one of your suggestions). Here I thought I’d invented hearts at Christmas. 🙂
And that’s exactly why we read your posts.
Prager U released a youtube clip on “the key to unhappiness” last Nov which I showed my Barbarians. We’re now trying to get in the habit of writing down something to be happy about everyday. I’m going to show them this post as well.
How lucky you are to do what you love. That you recognize that and are grateful is a lesson for us all.
Gratitude is powerful, especially when we can be grateful for the things in our lives that are difficult. Those things expand our view of the world and require new muscles. I end every day going over what has happened and pick five things I’m grateful for. Thank you for sharing your practice. Jean