In December 2021, during a nighttime home invasion robbery at her parents’ house, Nicole’s 81 year old mother was fatally shot. In an instant, she had to decide whether to let herself be overcome by tragedy, or follow the inspiring example of her mother, who always chose to be happy regardless of the circumstances around her. Though Nicole and her close-knit family were devastated by this senseless loss, Nicole faced a choice, to either be paralyzed by grief or instead, be made anew and inspired by the lives of those we’ve sadly lost. Reflecting on the wisdom her parents had shared and reinvigorated by life’s many lessons remembered during this cathartic journey of reflection provided the inspiration for her powerful and engaging memoir.
Nicole Avant offers hope and inspiration for anyone facing some of life’s most difficult moments. Speaking from personal experience, she shares how to transform pain into purpose and tragedy into love. She writes: “In the face of terrible things, my mother would have said, ‘think you'll be happy,’ just as she did to me in her last text. I think I will be happy; I want readers to be happy, and productive, and to live in gratitude for all the great advantages loaned to us by a loving universe.
THINK YOU’LL BE HAPPY: Moving through Grief with Grit, Grace, and Gratitude (Harper One; October 17, 2023; $28.99) is not a book Nicole Avant ever thought she’d have to write. Before this unfortunate event took place, Nicole focused her time on business, filmmaking, philanthropy and diplomacy. As the daughter of legendary music mogul Clarence Avant and indomitable civic activist Jacqueline Avant, she grew up in a world of glamor and privilege in Beverly Hills, learning from brilliant thinkers, artists, writers, musicians, and politicians. She counted among her friends and mentors some of the most remarkable people of our time.“
My family has been devastated by the loss of my mother,” Nicole writes, “but at every point, I've heard her voice echo in my mind: Make some blessings; find golden, not just silver, linings; let the alchemy of love and service and gratitude keep you alive. We have the opportunity to gain energy from our loved ones who have passed, and take that energy and make it into daily, engaged action that helps make the world a better place.” Painful things happen to all of us and I believe that how we respond is always our choice. This includes not only personal grief, but also the pain we’ve experienced collectively. My belief is that positivity breeds positivity. What kind of harvest do we want for those around us? What kind of seeds are we planting? Who do we allow to motivate us and inspire us? What motivates our behaviors – is it love? If so, we’re more likely to walk in positivity, joy and gratitude, knowing that our love is our blessing.
In December 2021, during a nighttime home invasion robbery at her parents’ house, Nicole’s 81 year old mother was fatally shot. In an instant, she had to decide whether to let herself be overcome by tragedy, or follow the inspiring example of her mother, who always chose to be happy regardless of the circumstances around her. Though Nicole and her close-knit family were devastated by this senseless loss, Nicole faced a choice, to either be paralyzed by grief or instead, be made anew and inspired by the lives of those we’ve sadly lost. Reflecting on the wisdom her parents had shared and reinvigorated by life’s many lessons remembered during this cathartic journey of reflection provided the inspiration for her powerful and engaging memoir.
