Metz - This Is Me

I want to thank the hard working people of Dey Street Books and HarperCollins Publishers, Lynn Grady, Ben Steinberg, Heidi Richter, Sean Newcott, Andrea Molitor, Nyamekye Waliyaya and Suet Chong. Id like to thank my editor Carrie Thornton for constantly challenging me to make this book and my stories my own.

To the dream team:

Cheryl McClean, thank you for believing in me before anyone knew my name. I am grateful for your generous, creative heart, tireless efforts and fantastic company during our many adventures.

Lena Roklin, thank you for being an amazing example in being true to yourself. You have taught me to embrace my rightful place in the world by asking for what I need and want and making no justifications for doing so.

Tracy Brennan, thank you for being a fearless advocate with my heart in mind. Your tenacious spirit and ambition is awe-inspiring.

Cait Hoyt, thank you for the opportunity to experience this journey of self-discovery. I had no idea where we were headed, I just knew together wed have a great time getting there!

Kevin Carr OLeary, my right hand, fill-in therapist and now, friend. Thank you for listening and interpreting my memories with such joy for hours on end. I could not have done this without you. Also, please tell your Mom she was right!

To the man, Dan Fogelman, thank you for changing my life and opening up my world to possibilities I didnt even know were possible. Your brilliance and humility are rare indeed.

To the wonderful Jennifer Salke, Grace Wu and Bob Greenblat of NBC, Gary Newman and Dana Walden at 20th Century FOX and the entire family behind and in front of the camera of This Is Us ; words fail.

My family and dearest friends old and new: I love you, I love you, I love you.

Lastly, to the folks who told me no, passed me up and counted me down and out. You were always a part of the plan. Thank you.

CHRISSY METZ is an actress best known for her role in This Is Us . Her breakout performance in the show earned her two Golden Globe Award nominations and an Emmy nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

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Do you have ten seconds? Not for me, but for you? I need you to set aside ten seconds every single morning. Maybe that will increase one day. But for now, I just need ten seconds. My hope is for you to come to find yourself in a constant state of gratitude. I pinky-swear youll be happy you did. I can say this because I know I was resistant. Imagine that, huh? I just couldntor didnt want tobelieve setting aside seconds would completely change the rest of my day and my life.

Heres how I do it: Before my hands automatically reach for my phone, I close my eyes and I take these ten seconds for my daily practice of thanksgiving. I think, I am grateful that I can see . Just saying that makes me appreciate the light filtering through the window, no matter how early my call time. I thank my bed for its support and comfort.

I am grateful to have the ability and mobility to move my miracle of a body. Down to the organs functions, it works perfectly on my behalf. And then theres the fact that I can move freely and easily, in my house with running water and electricity.

These seem like small things that we all take for granted, but theyre key. Through my daily practice I have come to find that my attitude is gratitude. I dont always start with the same acknowledgments, and not every morning is the same. I have had days I wish I could start over, but I still try to keep myself focused on giving thanks.

Heres my challenge to you: When you wake up in the morning, do not get out of bed until you have focused on at least five specific things for which you are grateful. Do this as soon as you wake up. Dont check your socials; dont even think about looking at your emails. This is an active meditation, where instead of blocking out thoughts, your mind is rich with all these wonderful gifts. Some of you may want to create a gratitude journal, and thats fine. But I want this practice to be something you can do wherever you are, and on the fly. For instance, if you find yourself at a complete standstill in traffic, take a moment to appreciate the pause. Relish the freedom you have to drive a car. Enjoy the company of your carpool friends, or great music on the radio. I never want this to feel like homework.

Ideally, this practice sets the tone for your mind-set and, in turn, your day. I did say practice , which means we are trying to acquire proficiency. No need to beat yourself up if you jump out of bed one day and forget. When I sleep through my alarm or hit the snooze for the third time, I run around like a madwoman making excuses. But Ive come to find that when I take that time for myself, I am more patient, more understanding, and much more loving.

I guarantee you that doing this will make a difference, because I know what happens when I miss it. I dont feel as empowered. I dont feel abundance in my life. I think thats because you cant give from an empty well. When you dont realize how full your life is, you cant give to others. And when you cannot give to others, you will not be able to receive.

How often do we take the people closest to us for granted, the same way we do our eyesight or the magic that makes a lightbulb turn on when we flip a switch? The very thingsor peoplewe take for granted are what we should be most thankful for. The quiet, ordinary times are more extraordinary than we give them credit for. The moments that we get to share.

So let me say to you: Im so glad youre here.

I didnt go to college, but I sure did learn a lot about life teaching preschool. This was right after I graduated high school, and I was really excited about this job because it was at an elite preschool that had a cutting-edge approach to learning. Every day there were different electives, and I got to see my students take part in Music, Dance, and Art. It was hands-on and felt nothing like babysitting.

The kids were on average four years old and they hands-down were smarter than I was at that age. There was a boy named Daniel, who spoke so well. Uh, Miss Chrissy? I believe I am a little damp, he would say when he wet himself. He always had me hollerin.

But even if the kids were more advanced than I was at their age, there were still fundamentals they needed to learn. And since as adults were all just big kids anyway, I truly believe there are lots of us who could use a refresher. So, here are a few of those preschool basics that I taught back in the day: