I celebrate with great apprehension. 2015 was an amazing year for me�noteworthy in
so many ways�Can't imagine it could get better, but hopefully 2016 holds more...
I began the year HERE with a declaration of COURAGE, and
opportunities to step out in courage began immediately. Just three weeks from the official resolve to
be more courageous, I was asked to fly to LA and be part of a national campaign
for Walmart and Depend. It was a surreal
experience. You might ask why did it
require courage? Well, I confess I am
not the best person to have next to you on a plane�not a fan of flying. Also, it does take some courage to go public
with a struggle like incontinence. But,
I would not have missed this for the world.
Next, I flew into Nashville just after one of the worst ice
storms to hit the state; and, again, I would face one of my most significant
experiences as an attendee and speaker at the first Bloggers of Midlife
Conference (BAM). I learned skills there
and made relationships which would take my blogging to another level.
As I entered spring, I fully believed I would teach high
school journalism for another year (that would have been my 19th
year in private education)�but certain wording in a new contract made the
decision for me. It was time to have
courage and do something new. The voices
in my head kept saying�You are in your
sixties�Time is up�you must have a guaranteed paycheck�no one will take you seriously�However, my
husband gave me the determination to be courageous when he read the contract
and said, �You can�t sign this. If not
now, (to see if you can make self-employment work), then never�now is the time.�
In June, I walked into a new world. A world where the paycheck does not come on
the first and the fifteenth�where my husband�s paycheck is now less since I had
to be added to his insurance�where I never really know what is around the
bend. But, I will say, since I began,
there have been new brands to work with on a regular basis�a new business
relationship with a wonderful blogger has come my way�I had an incredible
client to work with as a marketing consultant for three months�I have joined
the staff of a successful local magazine publisher� wrote for the Huffington Post..ventured into Pinterest and touched upon video, attempted Blab, was active with the San Antonio Fashion Society, interviewed some amazing people, and continued to extol I MATTER and, so far�knock on that
wood�the bills have been paid! I was MC for a Goodwill Fashion Show and MC for an online talk with a female OB/GYN about incontinence...kind of a strange theme going here! I was a speaker for our local Newcomer's Group.
(last pic I am interviewing the legendary Fern Mallis, Creator of New York Fashion Week!)
If you are a fan of Gilmore Girls, you will understand when
I say that I am KURT. The guy who shows
up in town in a variety of places with a different job every episode. What will the writers write for me today?
Those are the highlights�of course, the year had its challenges and downs as well as ups.
Leaving co-workers and students at my school was not easy and there was
a grief period. But, all in all, I did
begin again and I have been able to light a fire under my desire to write more
and to work in publishing and marketing.
It just took courage, determination and diligence.
So, I face 2016 with this in mind:
1.
I must
resolve to be BOLD and step out into new opportunities when they arrive.
Courage is important, but boldness takes more�a combination of courage, confidence and determination.
2.
I must resolve to PERSEVERE. Unfortunately, I will begin this new year,
next week with surgery which is followed by a 7-10 day recovery period. I cannot allow the costs or the recovery to
discourage me. Also, the age discrimination-thing in the marketplace is real. I just choose to bulldoze my way around it and not get discouraged. But Press On...
3.
I must resolve to be WISE. While I said yes to many opportunities last
year, I said no, more often. I must
continue to be wise for the sake of my own brand and for the sake of my family
finances. I cannot ask too much of my
husband when we still need my income. That means moment to moment wise contemplation of what I am doing.
Do I still believe I can do this? Face something new each day and bring in
income? You bet�I resolve to be FIERCE,
CONFIDENT, JOYFUL, and STRONG! I wish
that for all of you!
I saw this sign in a store recently and it fits me perfectly...should have bought it...but a picture works just as well!
Happy 2016! Here We Go!
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