New Year But No New Me!

Happy New Year 2024! Another year to Enjoy Life and Do Good!

It’s customary to start each year with resolutions and a ‘new year; new me’ mindset. I don’t want a new me. At this ‘vintage’ as a friend says to avoid the word ‘age’ I’ve done decades of resolutions, re-do’s, reboots, reflections, and renovations on myself and my business.

In my twenties I became a book-aholic and self-help junkie. My steady diet of self-help, positive mental attitude, spirituality, and how-to-fix-yourself books lasted decades! My career as a speaker/trainer/writer fueled this addiction. My life focused on day-planners, ‘smart goals,’ ‘to-do’ lists and measuring everything by what I did and, most often measuring myself harshly by what I’d left undone.

Not this year. Now as I enter the senior years (Yikes!) I like myself. I don’t want a new me. I just want to be more fully my authentic self and to ‘live my best life,’ as Oprah is famous for saying. At this stage, I want to ease up on the accelerator and enjoy life more. And I still want to live a life that matters and do purposeful work.

For several years now I’ve been praying a prayer that’s actually a MLK quote, “Use me, God. Show me how to take who I am, who I want to be and what I can do and use it for a purpose greater than myself.”

As you may know, my life philosophy and business tagline is ‘Enjoy Life and Do Good!’ I believe that resonates with many other women of my ‘vintage.’

I think that enjoying life is how we show gratitude for the life we’ve been given and that doing good is how we pay it forward.

This year I’ll be writing more about enjoying life and doing good.

What about you?

Are you at a stage of life where you’re over making resolutions?

Does enjoying life and doing good sound like a movement you want to be part of?

I look forward to hearing from you!

Balance is a verb!

Susan, Myra, Sue, Barbara at Crested Butte 2016People often talk of “having balance” or “getting balance” or ‘being more balanced.” As if it’s a thing to get or something to achieve. Balance is a verb—an action word. It’s something you do. Some weeks you may balance well; others not so much.

I was reminded of this recently as I was taking a ski lesson. Continue reading

Learning to ski

I love to ski. That’s amazing since failed beginner ski class twice.

Myra in Steamboat 2-14When I married in the early 90’s my husband and his friends had a well-established annual ski trip. I couldn’t go because the timing interfered with the job I had at the time. Finally when I left that job I had the chance to join the trip. Less than enthusiastically I said, “I’ll give it a try.” I wanted to be a good sport and I wanted to please my husband but let’s face it. I don’t like cold and I’m not athletic. I did have visions of sipping hot cocoa by the fire and reading a book while the guys skied. Continue reading

Resolutions, Visions and Goals

“Another year over; And a new one just begun,” John Lennon; Lyrics from “So This is Christmas”

As one year ends and another begins it’s the perfect time to reflect on the previous year and make plans for the new one. New Year’s resolutions are traditional ways of making plans for a better year.

This year I’ve seen many articles on why people don’t maintain their resolutions and why setting goals is better than making resolutions. As I see it, resolutions and goals are both focused on tasks and doing or not doing specific things.

I prefer a vision. I like to look at my whole life—work, relationships, recreation, health/wellness—and create a vision of how I want my life to look and feel in the New Year. Continue reading

Christmas Tree-dition

David and Josh with tree 2013My Christmas Tree brings me so much joy! I see the various ornaments collected over a lifetime and smile at the memories each one brings.

Our first Christmas as a married couple, Phil and I had a ‘tree trimming’ party and friends brought ornaments. Over seventeen years of marriage we collected ornaments from our travels and special ones to signify something significant for each year. A ‘first Christmas together’ ornament frames a photo from our first year of marriage. A Harley-Davidson ornament for the year we bought a new motorcycle. A ‘new home’ ornament when we moved into a new house. Ornaments from our annual ski trips and vacations around the world. Continue reading

Relationships Matter the Most

“What matters most is the relationships we have in life,” Joe Daniels, President, 9/11 Memorial.

9 11 memorial

Today I look out my living room window to the heart of Buckhead and the view I love. I wonder what went through the minds and hearts of those who lived in view of the World Trade Centers as they looked out their windows on September 11th, 2001. I think of this, not only today, but every time I see an airplane that looks like it’s too close to one of the tall buildings I’ve come to know from my window. Continue reading

Who inspires you to live with passion?

 “As we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.” –Marianne Williamson

 Mary Ann and Myra in downtown Atlanta

 
Mary Ann and Myra in downtown Atlanta

“I’m so excited!” Mary Ann said, waving her hands in the air and stamping her feet with the exuberance of a child who’d just entered the gates at Disney. “When I heard Bruno Mars was coming to town I just thought, ‘Who’s crazy enough to go with me?’” she added. Continue reading