Sheryl Sandberg has a powerful message for everyone today. Only eight months after the death of her husband SurveyMonkey Founder, Dave Goldberg, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg announced she’s going to “choose life and meaning” rather than “death and tragedy.”
Goldberg died in May at 47, and now in a new post, Sandberg has written about how she’s made it through the past year—and how she wants to move forward in 2016. Sandberg is known for writing powerful posts about her loss, but this one may be her best one yet.
She recounted past New Year’s resolutions, and how they all seemed insignificant in the wake of her husband’s death. She wrote:
READ: Sheryl Sandberg Mourns Her Late Husband on His 48th Birthday
“I stopped trying to meditate, but my connection to this group of friends was one of the things that helped pull me through. They checked in daily. Even though they live across the country, they showed up early and often. They did not just hold me as I cried—they cried with me.
One day when I was feeling particularly alone and down, a card from one of them arrived in the mail. It said, ‘One day she woke up and understood we’re all in this together.’ It has hung above my desk ever since.
And my resolution this year? When I first lost Dave, I felt overwhelmed with just getting through each day. My friend Adam Grant suggested that every night before bed I write down three things I did well that day. I tried to do this, although some days I had such a hard time thinking of anything I did well that I’d end up listing “Made a cup of tea.” But over time, focusing on things I’d done well helped me rebuild my confidence. Even if it was small, I could record something positive each day. “
We love this idea. Writing down three moments from your day that make you happy, or feel successful, is a great daily reminder that what you do matters. That the little moments count. It’s also an easy way to remind yourself that you are loved by your friends and family–and to be there for each other through the joys and pains of each new year.
