I'm all for making plans but realize magic happens in the unexpected.
My word for the year is CURIOSITY. My vision board has a sticker that says "Delightfully Unfamiliar." It was no shock that 2024 would hold significant life transitions. My youngest graduating from high school. Empty-nesting life. Moving cross country. Quitting a great job with a program that had grown over the years and I was proud of. Starting a Yoga certification.
All of this culminating in...not quite retirement life, but a "transition" of respite and reflection. A time to be still staying open and curious.
Those times in life are rare. Like--super rare...where you have the mental and physical space to think, meditate, pray and reflect on next steps. You may be like me. It takes literally getting out of the normal routine so that the mind is not busy with the never ending to-do list.
HAPPY PLACES
For the month of October, I've been in one of my happy places--the beautiful beaches of Florida. Job-less, renting a condo (which means no house projects or boxes to unpack), and no pets or kids. The perfect scenario to write, reflect, meditate and pray on next steps in this life journey. It's not lost on me that it's a privilege to be able to spend this kind of time and I'm so very grateful for it!
Stay curious and open has been my mantra for the last year. When a door opens, if it's aligned walk through it. Do the brave thing without knowing what's going to come next. Don't we hate uncertainty? And yet, this entire year has challenged me in that area.
In this month of reflection, a door did indeed open. A new opportunity I wasn't exactly expecting. Was it on the "possibility" list--yes but it didn't fit ALL the criteria I had in my mind. Do I walk through?
SIGN OF THE TIMES
Life is filled with uncertainty and signs. Are you paying attention to the open doors and doing the brave the thing? Growth comes from recognizing the opportunity, feeling the fear of the unknown and doing it anyway.
I have no idea where this new project will take me. I do realize that with every YES, I'm saying NO to something else. I'm old enough to know about protecting my time and energy and in that vain, I've got to let go of some of other projects to make space for something new.
I'll be letting go of the group coaching within the existing Wellness With Gina packages to put my energy and attention on personal coaching and weight loss clients. So if that's you -- Not to worry! We'll continue making bold transformations!
THE MORAL OF THE STORY
The moral of the story.... stay curious, look for the signs, walk through the open doors of opportunity but never lose sight of what's truly important to you. Shiny objects and distractions are all around us. It's easy to get derailed from our Healthy Living goals or from our core values.
Will there be some stress in walking through the open door? Absolutely! Try thinking of it as excitement for the beautiful life that's to come.
What doors are opening up for you as we close the chapter of 2024? I'm so excited to see where this new road will lead and you can bet I'll be keeping you updated as it all unfolds!