This morning I took a pause to scope this year and the changes wrought in my life. Your year may have been smooth sailing. You may have had the kinda year I’ve had, full of tricksy challenges and unanticipated events.
Either way, for all of us peeps seeking joy, changing who we are to become our future selves, year end is an obvi time to review the impact of the year’s events. We can see more clearly how we arrived at this time and decide what to carry with us into the new year.
Cheers to learning from the ridiculata that swirled about us—let’s review:
We can direct, not control
I entered 2022 excited to direct my life—my plan to get through tax season (was 9-5ing it at this tax firm for the last years), then immerse myself into a program to teach me how to launch coaching programs so I can help fellow survivors of craptastic upbringings/events.
My plan to take time and develop my program while working 9-5. The day after receiving a $4k bonus, I got canned. Sitting there listening to the partner talking, my confusion cocooned me like a sound barrier. As I observed my reaction, I felt a lightness of relief rising up in me. Once my boss finished talking, the other partner asked me if I had anything to say. Awash in bewildered gratitude, I said, “Thank you?”
And I meant it. I was never going to commit to my mission if I had that well-paying job. That surprise was the push I needed to dive into helping people rock joy.
Pain not needed
As I poured myself into working on my program, I delighted in seeing how my step-by-step way of dealing with life’s slings and arrows was so simple. [Flip side of that coin: Why did it take me fricking decades to put it all together and see possibilities? Who the hell knows, but ~dayumn~ I am glad to have my system in place and thrilled to be teaching it to others.]
While it was delightful to see the simplicity of releasing despair and welcoming joy, that was hella humbling to see how much torture I allowed myself needlessly. Oof! Life doesn’t have to be as hard as I spent decades making it. Tech, though, that shiznit is fracking difficult (I am the green screen? How did I even do this?).
I lurv me some community
I get to build a tribe of like minded miracles so I can share my message with the people who can best use it. My lighthearted presentation has gotten to individuals who can bask in the love from someone with a complicated, abusive past. So fricking exciting! I get to build a space for us to let it rip with each other. Groups, so dang good!
While it is not like being in person, video calls have the advantage of allowing me to talk to folks in other places. I co-worked weekly with my friend in France, interviewed people all over the world, and guested on podcasts where hosts were in Philippines, Canada, and several different states. My coaches are in Seattle, Canada, Texas, and North Carolina. Sheesh, I had a check-in sesh with my therapist over video. My world feels connected & cozy thanks to technology.
In related news, a student asked me to teach her one on one! (I volunteer teaching ESL on zoom.) I get to help this person be able to write reports at their work.
What rocked in 2022
Cruise—possibility abounds and the fab femmes on that cruise rock the impact like moiself. Getting canned—opened my world
Road trip to Kentucky Bourbon Trail via Ohio fam visits—just plain fun. Healing trip to ATL—vowed to reach out to each other when the struggle bus picks us up
What is staying in 2022
Limiting beliefs–I commit to eliminating these mofos. They can continue rearing their ugly heads and I can continue cutting them off.
Garbage mindset–some of the messages that were deeply ingrained in me are trash. Ooooold fashioned bullshittery like women don’t have more success than men. I am here to impact people who need to feel joy, to take up their space, to relish being the absolute miracles that they are–I want people to understand what they can change and how the hell to do it.
Unauthentic anything–I am allergic to ‘putting on’ for other people. I am my extra, ebullient, more-is-more self and that is the way I roll. If folks dinna like it, they are not my people. I recognize that my people find me, and it is so flipping fab.
Cheers to the lessons of this year, I opened up 12 ZFG Living Intro calls for anyone interested in rocking their authentic joyous life. Gratis, lovey, free of charge. I would love to talk with you. Here’s the link: https://calendly.com/zfgliving/zfg-living-int
Hugs,
Mel