Thoughts of Gratitude
I've been seeing a lot of posts on social media lately where people express their gratitude for various people and things in their lives. When I realized that my regularly scheduled blog post would fall on Thanksgiving in the US, I thought it’d be natural to reflect on what I’m thankful for when it comes to my editing business.
It takes a village.
A.J. Jacobs, one of my favorite authors, released a book called Thanks a Thousand, which is based on the premise that he wanted to thank every single person who played a part in producing his morning coffee. A line in the synopsis describes how his subsequent journey “reveals secrets about how gratitude can make us all happier, more generous, and more connected.”
Thanks a Thousand: A Gratitude Journey by A.J. Jacobs
While I won’t be going on an epic journey to trace the origins of editing that have contributed to my ability to be an editor, I wanted to take a minute to go on a mini gratitude journey. I’m thankful for many things related to my business, which I’m listing here in no particular order:
My clients, who have trusted me with their stories. I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude that I get the privilege of working with writers who have chosen to put their creativity, their words, and themselves out into the world. Sometimes I marvel at the fact that I get to read books for a living. I know it can be scary to hand over your writing to someone else, and I take that trust and responsibility seriously.
My colleagues and bosses, who I turn to for editing support and advice. Even though I’m self-employed, I’m part of several small teams as a subcontractor. It’s so nice to be able to talk with trusted colleagues and mentors, and to offer support to others.
The editing community, which comes in all shapes and sizes: editors themselves, support networks, editing societies, and more. I’ve met so many amazing editors on social media and through professional networks. The editing hivemind is a powerful resource, and I’ve felt welcome in the editing world from day one.
The wealth of information out there, which helps me learn new skills and improve my processes to better serve my clients and the editing community. There are endless websites, blogs, newsletters, books, webinars, podcasts, and forums that offer invaluable information, and I will continue to consume everything I can.
Technology, which allows me to be a better editor and business owner. I rely on various tools, programs, and websites daily, and I’m glad that I’m working in a time when all of this is available to me.
My flexibility, which I get by being my own boss. While there are plenty of challenges that come with being a freelancer, I absolutely love the freedom it offers. I get to work from home, wear comfy clothes, set my own hours, and say yes or no to projects as I see fit. I can go shopping in the middle of the day and then make up the hours later (or not at all). I can take a day off if I need to, though I enjoy my work so much that it’s rare for me to take a day off.
My family and friends, who have been an important part of my business ventures. They cheer me on, check on how my business is doing, and offer advice when I need it. I was a bit nervous to shift gears from full-time social worker to freelance editorial business owner, but my support system is just that—supportive in every way.
Roxy, my loyal canine editorial assistant who keeps me on my toes. She knows better than I do when it’s time for me to take breaks, go for walks, and give her snuggles.
My husband, who is my partner in every way. He encouraged me to start this business before I even knew I wanted to, and he’s been my #1 fan ever since. He celebrates my wins, listens to me vent, offers his shoulder to lean on, and gives me his I’m-not-surprised-you-were-successful look that he’s perfected over ten years.
Blog update
Finally, this brings me to my blog readers, who either subscribe to blog updates by email or stumble upon my posts from various sources. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read this post and any of my other ones. When I started this blog, I wasn’t sure if anyone would read it or care about the content I wrote. Over the past year and a half, I’ve gotten to share my thoughts on various topics that are important to me: writing, editing, publishing, conscious language, and representation.
Since October 2019, I’ve published a new blog post every two weeks. While I’ve enjoyed writing these, the frequency has become unsustainable. I feel incredibly fortunate that my business has been keeping me busy, but this also means that I’m usually working on blog posts on nights and weekends. In the spirit of gratitude, I’ve decided that I want to say thank you to my body and mind by respecting my work-life balance. Instead of sticking to a strict schedule and forcing myself to write on a deadline, I’ll therefore be writing posts when I have something I want to share. I’m not sure how often I’ll publish something (I promise I won’t disappear, though!), but I hope you’ll continue to support me when I do. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
