What's on my mind?

Blank pages. Talk about intimidating. Where does one begin? My fingers are tapping the keyboard, with very little guidance from my brain of what’s to come. What’s on my mind?

10 things I want to share: 

1)    Gratitude. I’m currently sitting in the Pacific Northwest, at my favorite bookstore, sipping a cuppa tea, and looking out over Bellingham Bay. Ahhhh. This place holds my heart, and has since I first visited in 1992. I was a year in to my employment with a company I ended up working with for 17 years. The friends I made and the places I traveled to are still great memories for me. And, I’m still dear friends with many of these people (you know who you are!) 25 years later. For this, I am grateful.

2)    Procrastination. Ugh. I’m frequently referred to as the “Queen of Implementation”. Lately, the queen of procrastination title is more fitting. “Plan your work, and work your plan”. Sound familiar? I beat myself up for putting off doing what I say is important (like writing this blog post, revising my monthly monamoments© newsletter, purging the storage area in my garage, doing weekly meal-planning, getting my emails under control…and the list goes on and on.) And you know what? I’m OK with this…because, why not?

3)    Friends. On my stroll down memory lane this week, seeing friends that I worked with for close to 2 decades, and being welcomed with open arms makes my heart happy. Every 2 years isn’t often enough for me. And new friends…my role as Director of Member Experience at Central Exchange in Kansas City has brought so many new people into my life! 

4)    Family. One of my cherished roles is being an Aunt. I have 19 nieces and nephews, including spouses, 3 generations worth. Yep, I’m a Great – great Aunt. (and I hope they think I’m “great” too. Of course, I wouldn’t be an aunt without my 3 siblings, Sheryl, Jim and Rick. I love them dearly. 

5)    Busyness. Please be cautious when using this word. How many times a day do we say “I’m so busy”? We choose our actions and activities. Choose wisely. Think about substituting “I’m so busy to do that” with “I’m choosing to do something else”.

6)    Technology. It’s a great servant but a bad master. Set your phone down. Be present. Limit social media. (Yes, pot is calling the kettle black)

7)    Moderation. The last 7 days of vacation have been full of breaking bread with friends from afar. This has included more than normal amounts of a lot – beer, sweets, snacks, wine (is there a theme here?) I keep telling myself “you’re on vacation…splurge!” Today is a day of moderation, and my body is grateful.

8)    Forgiveness. Forgiving myself for that voice that sometimes thinks I’m not as good/happy/pretty/thin/funny/serious/smart/witty/fill in the blank as others. But I’m me, and I like being me.

9)    Memory. What is it about our memory failing that is so scary? How does our brain choose what it allows us to remember? Why do I need to remember what I wore in Kindergarten the day my sister took me to see Mary Poppins, (a brown poplin polka-dot dress with a white scalloped collar), and I can’t remember the 6 things on my grocery list today? Thank goodness for my monaplanner©

10) Memory. Yes, I know it was #9. (My memory isn’t THAT bad.) I’m glad I can remember that brown dress, because my best friend in Kindergarten, Amy had the identical dress, and we wore them for picture day. She’s my “forever-friend”, and I’m getting teary just thinking of her. We’ve known each other since we were 3, stay in touch through social media, haven’t seen each other in a few years, and can pick up a conversation like no time has passed. Grateful for my memory.