I think it is very common to forget where we started, to be hard on ourselves, to compare ourselves to others or even where we want to be.

I know I’m a person that is always looking for the “what’s next”. I need a goal, large or small, and I relish the crazy process involved in getting there. I also recognize that it is vital to take a step back, slow down, and remember where I started. In doing so, that is where I see just how much I have to be grateful for.

Thanksgiving is a time to do just that. Just as the pilgrims showed gratitude for the harvest they pulled from the earth by months of hard work, this year I am feeling that gratitude towards the readers that have been so supportive of my work. I am grateful you have taken the time to buy and read my book, that you have given me the positive feedback that motivates me to keep writing, and that I have had opportunities to reach you. It has been hard work, and yet it is surreal to sit back and think that last year only a handful of people even knew that I wrote.

I could go on for many more pages on how grateful I am for the blessings in my life. But that is not the message here. Don’t forget to recognize the small stuff. I hope that wherever you are, whoever you are with, you take a step back and find the love and beauty around you. Put the goals aside, put the struggle aside, and recognize. And be grateful.

I am grateful for all of you! May you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Yours, J.A. Stein

P.S. Looking for something to do while the turkey is cooking? The video from the Author Roundtable is now live on YouTube! CLICK HERE