What I’m Grateful For This Year

I recently went to North Carolina to speak to a group of students at Guilford County Schools. I was excited to address the group about the value of the education they were receiving, but what struck me the most was the fact that I was looking out over the future. Sure, in reality, I was seeing fifty or sixty students in front of me, but what I was really witnessing was the future — the futures of each of these young people and the future of the industry I love so much. Building homes, or building anything really, takes place in the present, but the result of daily building provides an immense amount of future memories, happiness, and comfort. And building that happy has always humbled me in ways I can’t express in words.

I try to wake up every morning with an attitude of gratitude because, for me, gratitude helps me make sense of the past and live in the present moment knowing that I’m building for the future. I’m so grateful to have Hazel and Brett to remind me of this every single day.

In all of the homes I work on, my main focus is the family that lives there. Questions like “How can I make their lives just a little easier?”and “What will bring a smile to their face when they walk into this room” really guide each and every design decision I make on a project.

Just as my everyday focus is my own family’s growth and our future together, when I’m working, that focus of building the future for my clients’ is ever present. I do what I do because I love it and because I want Hazel to see how being passionate when it comes to work (and life) isn’t just important, but essential. The families that I work with have worked so hard in life and I consider it a privilege to help create a space for their future to unfold - moments of togetherness, comfort and smiles with less stress and home-related headaches.

While living in the moment and being present can be challenging at times, we should remember there is nothing more inspiring than knowing that we are creating a vision for the future and building our happy one task, and smile, at a time.

And of course, I am so grateful for all of you. I have been overwhelmed in the best way by all of your support, kind notes, DMs, comments and more. You have taken the time to share your positive thoughts and words of encouragement and I so appreciate that. My hope for you all is that you embrace your own creativity and be bold in the decisions you make. I know firsthand, based on the support you’ve given me, that you’re the kind of people who are out there making a difference in the world today and laying a foundation for a great tomorrow.

Here’s to being grateful for today, and excited for the future.