Giving thanks, being thankful, and Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving Arrangement 2 (c) Christa Richert

Bar none, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year. With no presents and no pressure, Thanksgiving is just about finding people you love, spending time with them, and eating good food. It’s also a time of the year when people remember to take a moment, step back from their lives, and look at all the things they have to be grateful for. For me, that’s a lot this year.

In all honesty, the time between the beginning of 2009 and the beginning 2011 kinda sucked. A lot. There were a lot of things in my life that ranged from stressful to downright horrid and I had mounting pressure financially and emotionally. I made a few changes and things started to turn around in 2011, but 2012 was when things really started looking up. I’m out of debt for the moment, I’m at a job that pays me enough to let me travel to conferences and to visit friends, and I’ve finally made it past the querying stage of the publishing process. I have supportive friends and family, ideas for future books, and a comfortable place to live with people I love. So, this year, I have a lot to be thankful for.

Looking back, I am thankful for:

  • Friends like Lani who make me crash parties with them.
  • Everyone at my publisher Spencer Hill, especially my wonderful editresses Danielle and Patricia.
  • Those years of misery for making me able to truly appreciate what I have now. 
  • A job, which in this economy is a lot to be thankful for!
  • My family who has supported me through everything and continues to cheer me on as I work toward becoming a full-time writer. 
  • The friends I have made in the writing community for welcoming me into the fold and commiserating with me on my frustrations and celebrating my successes.

2012 was better than 2011 and it looks like that trend will occur again with 2013. I’m thankful for the path that has led me here and excited to see where it brings me in the future.

So enjoy your Thanksgiving if you celebrate it. Even if you don’t, take a moment today to step back and be thankful for the good things in your life.

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