I have a yearly tradition of marking down everything I'm grateful for around this time each year. While it may seem cliche, I love having a sort of journal to reflect on each year around Thanksgiving (especially with our Grateful candle launching this year in the Mood Collection, which was designed as a reminder for all of the things we have to be grateful for every day).
As usual, my network of support is at the top of the list, and encompasses so many different levels of gratefulness.
I'm thankful for a group of business ladies that I talk to daily about the highs and lows of this life I'm living. We help each other talk through problems and we celebrate victories together. I never feel alone, even though a lot of my work is done solo - and for that I'm super grateful.
I'm thankful for the best employees I could ever need. I'm lucky to have my mom at the head of our production, making sure everything we need is made and shipped how its supposed to be, when its supposed to be. She's really the ideal employee, since she raised me and knows how my brain works (and most of the time, her's works the same way!).
I'm thankful that other candle companies are supportive of me, and I can be supportive of them. This industry is so incredibly saturated that at times, it feels like what we're doing is useless. Why would anyone want to buy a candle from me when they have literally a million other options to choose from? In getting to know the people behind some of these brands, I can see how each one stems from a person who's pouring their heart and soul into a product - giving it life and personality that's so unique from anything else out there, even if it appears to be super similar on the surface.
I'm thankful for customers who understand our mission and support it in any way they can. Though the squeaky wheels always get the grease, as they say, I love taking a step back to recognize the people that value our time and efforts and can empathize with those running a small business. Usually these customers are the quiet ones that don't require a lot of attention, but they certainly deserve a shoutout for keeping this little company running.
All of these things come together to allow me to say that I'm thankful for what I get to do every single day. I get to be in charge of my days - and while that's exhausting sometimes, to the point of breaking down in tears and wanting to quit it all - I wouldn't have it any other way.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Sam