Happy New Year from GDA!

It’s hard to believe that another year has already flown by. In this industry, it can feel like a rat race sometimes. There is never a break, and we are continuously running in circles. For me, the best part about the start of the new year is resolutions. It forces me to take a moment, get off the hamster wheel and set an intention for the year. This year, my resolution is to enjoy the small things. When you’re running a mile a minute and feel like you can never quite catch up to your to-do list, it’s hard to even notice the small pleasures in life, much less enjoy them.

“This year, my resolution is to enjoy the small things.”

Work can become overwhelming if you’re only focusing on the stress of it all and all the “have tos.” I’ve certainly been guilty of this over the last two years — pretty much since the dawn of the pandemic. There were times when I got so focused on the task at hand that I stopped relishing in all the things that I love about my job. (For starters, it made me
a pretty good gift giver this past Christmas!) And I bet some of you have experienced that, too.

At trade shows, I’ve heard retailers laugh at how customers think their job is so fun: “If they only knew,” they would say. To me, retailers have commented how fun my job must be, how
exciting it must be to “only” cover the trade shows (and research every possible product category and trend) instead of making purchases. “If they only knew,” I always think as I smile and say, “Yeah, it is a pretty fun job.”

But the truth is we do have pretty fun, fantastic jobs!

Don’t let the stress of your job make you forget what you love about it and why you got into this business in the first place. Take a moment to enjoy the small things and remind yourself what is great about your job. Enjoy that chat with your regular customer, take pride in that cool new display design you dreamed up and take pleasure in perusing showrooms and discovering all the cool new product trends before all of your friends and family. I know I do!

These are the small things that matter. I am starting this new year with renewed joy and excitement in my heart. I can’t wait to enjoy the small things: seeing all of you at market once again, discovering new, exciting products, and getting to write for and oversee the design of a 100-plus year-old magazine that has grown and adapted in so many amazing ways.  I hope you find some small moments of joy in our January edition of Gifts & Decorative Accessories — and every issue of 2022 — and that they help you to go forth and prosper this year! Happy New Year!

Happy New Year from GDA!