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So the other day in a conversation I was acknowledged for my courage. Here is the thing, I don’t particularly think of myself as having courage. I just live my life very inside out. I care less about what people think of me and more about if I am growing.
But as I have continued to reflect on this courage thing, I have come to lots of subtle awarenesses.
A few months back, in a pivotal conversation with a man I respect, I came to understand how men’s disrespect for women can show up in the most subtle of ways. Since I never imagined that I might be disrespected due to my gender, I had never recognized it as such. Suddenly I had a word to put to behaviours that I had experienced from men that previously had just confused me.
As some of you know … on Friday night I went out to the Vancouver Art Gallery Fuse event. I went with friends, there were lots of people of all shapes, sizes and ages, interesting venue, things to do and see all built right in. A perfect place to practise the Lost Art of Flirting. Or so I thought.
So with a new year (I know that was a few month ago now, and I am still in the New Beginnings energy) comes a new chance to create our lives as we want them. And for me … time to get real, like really, really real. As in not just real to myself, or real to my close friends, but real to the world (cause here is the thing about me … when I am sharing myself, my whole self, open-hearted vulnerability and all, with the whole world, I dig deeper. More on that later.). For years now I have longed to be in a relationship. But not just any relationship (which accounts for why I am not in one, I have turned down, walked past and generally refused many opportunities with someone that was not quite right for whatever reason), and not just with any old guy (that came out wrong, but you know what I mean). I am looking for something more, something bigger … I am looking for EPIC LOVE.
As promised, here is my 2016 year in review!
2016 for me will always be remembered in my mind as a year of letting go. Have you ever been forced to let go of something or someone not by choice? It’s an experience that will test you to the core. To start off the year, I was having a difficult time dealing with the intense grief of the passing of my father the year before. So much so that it catapult me into a mild depression … something that I could not shake on my own. I finally reached out for help and utilized the resources that are always at our disposal if we ask for them. It was a reminder that I couldn’t do it alone. And more to the point, I didn’t want to do it alone.
There were some other challenges on the personal front:
Firstly, having to sell my home even though I didn’t want to. Not only was it a painful outcome (having it sold for much less than the amount that we were enticed with, not having a choice and now being faced with having to find a new home and move), but it was also a very painful, dragged out process, that won’t be wrapped up until the New Year.
And secondly, having to put my cat Maggie to sleep. She was 14 and a half years old, and had been living with me for 13 and a half years, more than a quarter of my life. She had been with me for all of the years I have lived at the Del Ray (my current home), and I suspect that she was as uninterested in moving as I was, she just choose to express it a different way. She got very, very ill, around about the time the subjects closed on my home. Eventually it became clear that the only humane thing to do was to put her out of her distress. My cats up until now have always died on their own. This was the first time I had to midwife a little being over to the other side, and boy was it hard. But it was such a relief to know she wasn’t in pain anymore.
Now onto the exciting things about 2016!
There are many, and what I list here are only the tip of the iceberg. On the top of my list, was the creation and release of my Inspirational card decks. These have been a long time coming. The truth is I’ve wanted to make a card deck similar to these for over a decade and a half but never quite got around to it. So now, for sale, are these beautifully made cards meant to connect you with your inner wisdom and inspire you on a daily basis. If you haven’t already ordered one, DO IT NOW!
Another highlight: Over the course of May and June, I spent a month in Europe. One of the most radical things about that month, for the first time since I have owned a laptop, was that I left it at home! I disconnected in order to be present in the moment and enjoy some much-needed rest and time off. This allowed me to break free from the past, to take the time to grieve and then to move through the grief to the other side. It felt AMAZING! During that time I went to Iceland (to visit family and renew my Icelandic passport), France (to do a keynote), Spain (to visit a friend), Cornwall (to do a walking tour with a friend), and Scotland (because it’s Scotland!).
Another exciting event is I finally got to put down all my creative ideas that have been swirling in my head for quite frankly, years and created and facilitated the Signýficant Living Webinar Series! To have had the opportunity to capture in a format that makes it accessible and to share it with a group of 35 people in a format (webinar) that I have never used before was an exciting challenge that made me grow in so many different ways. I’m incredibly grateful for all the support and so excited to be offering the webinar series again in the New Year (stay tuned for dates and details). As well, I will be considering other formats to bring this content into the world (I see a week long residential retreat in my future, who’s in?).
I feel so grateful and blessed to have the community of people around me that I have. People to comfort me when I need it the most. People to help me move forward with the things that are important to me and most dear to my heart.
Just as 2016 was about letting go, 2017 is about new beginnings and welcoming with open arms what’s next. I wish nothing but the best for each and every one of you and can’t wait to see what this upcoming year has in store for all of us!
What stood out in 2016 as the biggest breakthrough, and what is your most cherished dream for 2017?
For those that know me, you know that every year around this time, I share with you my year in review worksheet. Obviously, this year is no exception.
This worksheet has two purposes:
As well, each year I share with you my own review (well the high level pieces, no one wants to read ALL the details). I am SO looking forward to sharing with you what happened in 2016 (that will be covered in my next blog)… but to whet your appetite here is what emerged last year at this time in hopes that it will inspire you to do your own looking!
What are your year-end rituals?
In the famous words of Walt Disney …“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” So doing is exactly what I did! Let me share my latest creation – a beautiful deck of daily inspiration at your fingertips.
In less than three weeks I am going to be launching my Signýficant Living Webinar, and I am SOOO excited.
This has been a long time coming. Both me putting my work into this kind of format so that it is available more easily for more people, and (maybe more importantly) gathering the key learning of this life (so far), and translating it into elements that can apply more broadly to those I work with, those wanting to define life on their terms and create a life worthy of them, and what is really important to them.
It hasn’t been easy (which is ironic, as one of the elements of Signýficant Living is, in fact, EASE). Mostly because I have been resisting what was so blatantly in front of me. But in finally getting out of my own way, in fully living the principles that I will be, at long last, presenting in this framework, it is like the sky has parted. Read More >>>
For the next leg of my trip, I decided to go to Seville because my friend, Joanne, was living there. Probably the biggest highlight of this portion of my trip was that this was a new experience for me. I had never been to Spain, which just seems CRAZY to me because it’s right there and it’s FANTASTIC!
Here are some more of my highlights and lessons learned from Seville, Spain:Read More >>>
Ok, let’s be honest. France wasn’t really a rest stop. But it was the catalyst for my month of exploration and rejuvenation, because I was asked to give a keynote for Capgemini. And of course I said yes!
The location and the event space itself was beautiful. And it’s only one of the things that blew me away about Capgemini … that they’ve created this amazing learning space for people. Talk about a commitment to doing things differently and calling people forth to the next level of leadership! I felt very privileged and honoured to be invited to do this speech and to get to speak to their high-potential leaders.
