5 Keys to True Joy From QVC’s David Venable
The QVC star shares what feeds his soul.
Sitting down with David Venable, it’s clear to see why the effervescent television personality and bestselling cookbook author is so adored by his fans. But he admits that in the early days of his career, he questioned his path. “I started in television news, but I couldn’t see it being the career I’d stay with,” Venable shares with Woman’s World. “So I came to a crossroads and decided to step outside my comfort zone. It was scary, but I wanted a job I was passionate about.”
Through hope and positive thinking, he summoned the courage to take the leap. “I learned early on in life that every day, we have a choice to celebrate the good,” says Venable, who grew up the son of a strong, positive single mom. “In that moment, instead of getting mired in the things that were going wrong, I focused on the good in my life. When you put positivity into the universe, it tends to come back.”
For Venable, that payoff arrived with a job at QVC. “I’d always wanted to do more live TV,” he shares. “I love being able to ad lib in front of the camera-and suddenly, that’s what I was doing!” And during his 27 years on-air, those positive dividends have only grown.
“When I graduated college, I never dreamed I’d author one cookbook-and now I’ve done four!” the 56-year-old cheers. “I’m living my heart’s desires, and that’s possible for everyone. Take a chance-it pays off in ways you could never imagine!” Here, Venable shares his recipe for living out your own dreams.
Don’t miss his new cookbook!
Venable’s much-anticipated new cookbook, Half Homemade, Fully Delicious, debuting this fall, will be the third in his In the Kitchen with David series and offers 110 dishes with a twist! “Every recipe is a combination of 10 ingredients or less of what I call supermarket shortcuts, prepackaged and fresh food,” Venable says. “It’s a celebration of balanced, delicious meals you can prepare in record time!” Preorder your copy now on QVC.com.
Puzzle your worries and troubles away.
“Though I love being outside during the warm weather, there’s nothing I love more than to relax with a jigsaw puzzle,” Venable shares. “It keeps my mind sharp! I love spreading the pieces out on my dining room table and putting the box picture in front of me. I do my best thinking when I do puzzles. It gives me time to explore my thoughts and the things that are going on in my world. There’s nothing better!”
Bliss reminder.
“When things are weighing on me, the reminder that ‘This too shall pass’ helps me-I even have a T-shirt with that phrase on it,” Venable says. “It reminds me that we all have the power to protect our joy. When we feel like we’ve lost joy, it’s almost always because we’ve given away our power to feel it. So that phrase reminds me things will always get better!”
Find comfort with the three F’s.
“Family, friends and faith have always been important supports for me, and what I turn to when I need extra strength,” Venable confides. “My family and friends are fun and funny and wild and wonderful, and my faith has sustained me from the time I was a boy. But all of these things working in concert help me feel good about where I am in life and where I’m going. And in times where I need it most, they are always there to remind me that everything will be okay.”
Feed your soul by giving back.
“I feel very passionately about helping folks who are hungry,” Venable says. “I make regular contributions to Feeding America and Philabundance and also support the food bank in my county, not only with monetary contributions but with groceries. There’s a tremendous feeling you get when you know that you’ve helped others: It enriches you! ”
Take things one step at a time.
“For me, the key to having confidence comes through preparation,” Venable says. “It comes through being ready for whatever is thrown at you! Another confidence key is to take goals one step at a time. Goals are met not in one single bound but in pieces, and as you put those pieces together, you start to build a beautiful picture that makes you feel proud, confident and joyful.”
Fight anxiety with meditation.
“With all the anxiety of the pandemic, the thing that’s helped me calm this merrygo- round that’s always going at top speed in my head are meditation apps,” says Venable, who cites Calm and Breethe as favorites. “They help me calm my mind and that, in turn, calms my body. Stress levels come down. I sleep better. The mind is a powerful tool if you understand it-and meditation helps me do that!”
A version of this article originally appeared in our print magazine, Woman’s World.
