Joanna Gaineshasn’t always been game for doing things on the fly, but she now has a new appreciation for life’s unplanned moments — just like the one she recently spent with her 4-year-oldson Crew.
But then, theFixer Upperstar — who shares Crew, as well as sons Drake and Duke, and daughters Emmie and Ella with husbandChip Gaines— reconsidered and decided to go for it.
“I’m flat on my belly and the whole time I’m thinking, ‘I’m too old for this,'” she says. “Then Chip pulls up with the kids and starts honking like, ‘Are you okay!?’ They all thought I fell — because Mom doesn’t normally do that.”
As “simple and silly” as it was, Joanna was grateful to share that time with her son. “I’ve realized a lot of joy comes from unplanned moments. I’m glad I didn’t miss that one,” she says.
Finding that fresh perspective, however, has been a journey. Earlier this year, Joanna began to feel burned out after years of running at high capacity, and the pressure of her own expectations.
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“I was about to turn 44 and I realized, the last 10 years, a lot of it felt like a blur,” she says. “It was fast, it was exciting, and there was so much to be grateful for, but there was something in me that just felt so tired. I wanted to go back and regain moments that I had missed along the way.”
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Joanna began journaling and wound up on a deeply personal journey of self-discovery and healing. Now, she’s opening up about finding her true self, and how letting go of control has led to more happiness, in her new memoirThe Stories We Tell, available Nov. 8.
“I feel thankful for the process,” she says. “In the beginning, I never thought I would share this with anyone. But then when I realized in that vulnerability, when you do share your story, if it inspires one other person to write their story down so that they can see that clarity and purpose in their own life, it’s worth it.”
Joanna Gaines.Courtesy
She continues, “It brings connection. I just started realizing, this isn’t just a process for me. I truly believe that we all have these amazing stories that we have to hold. And when you hold them well, I mean that’s where life is, that’s where beauty is.”
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Looking ahead, Joanna is clear on what she wants out of life.
“I’m 44 years old, and so say I have another 44 years to go, I want to live it lighter,” she shares. “I want to live more freely. Just be grounded in who I am, what I believe I’m here for.”
Joanna’s memoir,The Stories We Tell,hits bookshelves on Nov. 8.
source: people.com
