Life is what you make of it. Make it count.
Welcome to 2020. It feels a bit surreal. It seems like just yesterday, we were partying like it was 1999!! Boom in a flash it’s been twenty years. As I look back on the past two decades to where I was vs where I am today, wow! I am proud of what I have accomplished. I am proud of the risks I took.
I started out with 80 bucks and a suitcase (no joke) but I had a dream much larger than life. Much larger than me. In April of 1998, I put all of my faith in God and in myself (when everyone else thought I was crazy) and I set out on a journey of starting my own business. It has been a ride! Don’t get me wrong, it’s not at all perfect, it certainly has its ups and downs, but it is perfectly me. I love my job. I love my clients. I love the sense of team. I love the thrill of deadlines and helping people! I love that it has provided a great source of income to myself and my family. I am extremely grateful that it affords me the time to do what I truly love!
Why am I starting this blog?
For years I have spent a lot of time journaling. It was a good outlet for me. One day it hit me like a ton of bricks. I was going through the process of “Tidying Up” (Marie Kondo method – don’t judge!! ha!) and as I was looking through my journals so much of what I journaled about year after year, I was complaining about the same stuff. It was definitely the stuff that I didn’t want to talk about, let alone admit to anyone. But on that day, looking back from 10 years back, it was almost verbatim, the same complaints. What an eye opener!! I realized that if I don’t make a change somewhere, I will continue to complain year after year about the same stuff. I could not longer allow it. I had to stop the vicious cycle. Life felt like it was going to pass me by.
They say that God works in mysterious ways, but suddenly I found myself with an opportunity to facilitate a women’s small group. I never saw myself as an inspirational leader but I was intrigued with the challenge and actually a little scared. In my job, I tend to be more behind the scenes. I am comfortable there. This was pushing me out of my comfort zone and before I knew it, I accepted the challenge. I love the creative process and I dove into the subject materials and I came across an interesting book that caught my eye and felt guided to pursue it. To my surprise (and if I am being honest a bit horrified!!!) there was a big interest. Soon what I thought would be a handful of ladies shaped up to be 40+ women. And the rest was history.
Over the last two years, I had the opportunity to lead the popular women’s group “She’s Got Issues” featuring author Nicole Unice’s book series (She’s Got Issues, Brave Enough & The Struggle Is Real). I found that women from all over the South Shore had issues too. Shhhhh. We are trying to keep it a secret. LOL In all seriousness, if you know me, you know that I am a strong and independent woman (some may say stubborn or a control freak) At the end of the day, I am a human too. I have my own insecurities and set backs and hang-ups. Although you may find I am full of confidence, the truth is I am just as scared as the next gal. Admitting some of the issues that I do have in my life has had a profound affect on me. It was an honor to see so many of the women that participated experience transformation and growth too..
As I reflect back on what I learned… I am never alone – every one of us has our “stuff”. Stop hiding it. Embrace it. Say it out loud.. I have learned to share my vulnerabilities with others and it has helped me grow in leaps and bounds. I learned that we are not meant to go through life hiding the brokenness. We are meant to share those times with others. Learning to rely on other people or (God forbid) ask for help!! I hope that by sharing my experiences, it will be an inspiration to others.
My goal is to serve as a beacon of light, especially to women. To create hope when it feels like life has knocked you down. You need your tribe, your girls, your circle, your people. Life is not always pretty, but it doesn’t mean that you give up, retreat and feel defeated. You rise up. Wipe yourself off and do better. Learn from your experience. Don’t allow your life’s circumstances to define you.
Rox
If you want to join my private women’s Facebook group, click here.
Inspirations for Life 