Why I Am Thankful

I am writing today to say that I am thankful. I was published by tinybuddha.com yesterday and have received a lot of comments on my article and on my blog as a result. For anyone that only reads my blog, here is a link to the article that I have written- http://tinybuddha.com/blog/embracing-uncertainty-the-future-is-open-not-empty/. I encourage everyone to read it if they have the chance. I am so excited that my words can resonate with other people and that others can relate to my experiences. I came home to a message that my article had been published and was full of joy all night as I kept clicking on the page that had my words written across it. It is a huge feeling of accomplishment, and I am grateful that someone took a chance on me and recognized that my words were meaningful. I do not write in search of praise or recognition, but it is an amazing feeling to be read and admired. I remain humbly grateful to all the readers of that post and this blog. It makes me feel as if my goals are not that far out of reach. This is only one step to continuing a career in writing. One reader called my post, "refreshing," "honest," and "real." I think that was the biggest compliment because those are qualities I look for in good writers, and as such, they are qualities I hope to emulate with my own writing. 

I want to work on more articles for tinybuddha.com in the future, as well as find other places where I can be published. I would love to be able to find a way to make this my career. Even if it is a hobby on the side for a while, the more I get published and recognized, the better chance I have of making a career of something about which I am so passionate. I like being able to tell people I am a writer or aspiring writer. To have others validate my work is an incredible feeling, and I am remarkably indebted to everyone who continues to encourage me daily. 

I am thankful to have had these last few months to be able to work on myself. I've found that if you don't have time to take care of you, you start losing a bit of yourself. I had been so stressed and overworked to the point where I didn't feel like doing anything. I knew I wanted to go home and write, but I had zero motivation when I got there. The television and my bed became my best friends after long days at work- that's when I should have known I was in trouble. You should never be put in a position where your best interests are placed last. You should always come first, and not in a selfish way, but in a self-loving way. Anyone who puts your cares and concerns last, shouldn't be in your life. Any job that makes you feel inferior and not recognized, isn't the one for you. It's all about having the courage to listen to that inner voice and take action. For me it was that leap of faith that changed my life for the better.