2023 and The New Me

Well, well, well, look what the dog dragged in…ME, lol!

That’s right, I’m back. At least, that’s the plan. After no blog entries for nearly 18 months, here we are - and what an 18 months it’s been!

For those of you who have followed along since the beginning of this blog, thank you, I appreciate you so much. You know that it’s been a rough road for me the last five years or so with so much loss, and grief being such a prominent topic in my entries. The good news is, I think we are finally rounding a corner and hopefully “Heart-shaped Lens” can be just that.

I don’t think I’ve been that forthcoming about the hit my business took during the pandemic. The reason I had so much time to learn to knit and start a blog in the first place was because I had so much extra time left by work I was no longer doing. I did recoup some of that by the end of 2021, but not all.

With a new mortgage I could have easily gone after new work and clients just to pay the bills. But after everything I feel like I owed it to myself to really wait for the right kind of work - the right fit. I wanted work that I was passionate about in an industry that interested me. I didn’t just want to chase the money. I knew that I had built excellent relationships and a solid reputation for myself over the years and I had faith that eventually I could uncover something truly special. So I did something I’ve never, ever in my life done before.

I didn’t panic.

If you know me, you know that not panicking would have been a big deal for me. I myself recognize it as a huge personal growth moment. But nonetheless I stayed patient, I put myself out there within my networks, and guess what? It paid off.

Not only did I find a new sports outlet to write for in The Sporting Tribune, but just this year I started working with the Association of Pickleball Players (APP) as the managing editor for their website. I get to do a bit of traveling with the APP and I can’t tell you how fulfilling - not to mention fun - it’s been to integrate myself into the pickleball community with such a remarkable team. Did you know that pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in America?

A few years ago, #Tina sent me a card, and in it she wrote the words “I hope you never stop betting on yourself.” These words were intriguing to me at the time because they sounded so beautiful, but I couldn’t really relate to them. Now, I understand their meaning and the significance they have when delivered by someone else.

My responsibilities at the rink and with my other clients also grew in the last year-and-a-half, to where now, my plate is full and my cup runneth over, more so than ever before. Life truly looks different for me than it did even one year ago. I am so fortunate to work with so many good people at some great organizations; I have some amazing managers and am so lucky to also manage some incredibly talented people that I’m looking forward to mentoring further.

I recently received these thoughtful notes from a couple of colleagues - one of the people is someone I manage and one of them is someone who manages me. After feeling quite hopeless about my work situation for almost all of 2022, these words really touched me and make me feel like I am doing something right.

If you appreciate your colleagues, let them know. Working with great people is a privilege, and your words are so valuable.

You know I love a good rhyming blog title and I especially love this one. AI apparently doesn't approve, but I don't care, haha. I didn’t reinvent myself in 2023, but I think that at the end of every year we leave parts of ourselves behind, and if we do it right, they’re the parts that no longer serve us…like panic, lol. It’s a necessary step in the growth process and in the journey of life, and is a sign that we’re evolving. With 2024 too rapidly approaching, it’s the perfect time for this reflection.

I meant what I said - I’m going to make an effort to keep up this blog. I should have plenty of material between all the characters in my life - both new and recurring - my various work experiences, and my travel adventures. I hope you’ll join me - I anticipate some pretty exciting things ahead in the year to come!

For what it’s worth, my New Year’s resolution for 2024 is to learn to play pickleball…who’s with me?