Time exploded on me today. The last two years came flying at me in bits of photographic shrapnel. It started when I looked back at one of my first blog posts. It was in July of 2016, and I had decided to take on the Live Your Legends Blog Challenge. I believed that starting a blog would be useful therapy and a way to finally start one of the things on my bucket list, to write. The blog challenge was the tool I used as my Kickstarter.

While I was looking back today and reflecting, it felt daunting to be reminded of the number of significant life changes that occurred during the year 2016. Here are just a few:

1.  We celebrated my daughter’s marriage and new life on New Year’s Day.
2. I turned fifty years old.
3. Robert’s role at work changed and his new responsibilities included more time away from home.
4. My youthful and energetic father died unexpectedly.
5. We withdrew our 8-year-old from public school and I began Homeschooling because they would not provide him the services he needed.
6. I was caring for three family members; Mom, Luke, & Lindsey.
7. I started the Medicaid appeal process for Lindsey to receive services in an assisted living group home.
8. My son Eric began his career with the US Navy as an Aviator. 
9.  I left my long-time career as a coach and sales manager to become a full-time caregiver, household manager, advocate, and teacher.
10. Our country’s leadership pivoted, and daily news bombs started to be deployed.

 

2016 swirled with change, and I often felt caught up in the emotion and unable to escape the undertow. It all continued to flow over into 2017. Now, here we are two years later in the blink of an eye. Luke is doing well and headed back to his new public school for the second year this Fall. His new teachers are amazing. I won my appeal with Medicaid. Lindsey is happy living in her group home and has a job she loves. Eric is happy flying with the Navy. My mom is getting re-adjusted to her new life with us back in Houston. I’m fully engaged in writing my blog, and I have started consulting again for individuals and small business owners.

Not only have I survived, but I’ve also begun to carve out the best life yet for myself and my family. How have I managed this? I’ve searched out and read blogs and books by other strong women. Check out Brene Brown, Mel Robbins, Jen Sincero, Elizabeth Gilbert, Jen Hatmaker, to name a few. I started to bravely apply the new skills I was learning and drew on my own past experience of coaching others to success.

First, I painted a picture of how I wanted to experience my life and shared it with Robert. I posted in on my refrigerator, where I see it every day. Next, I started incorporating my dream activities into daily life, being creative, writing, cooking, spending time with friends, being connected to my husband and family, and travel. Now I’m finding my voice and creating a life filled with the people, places, and activities that I love.

I’m still healing emotionally from the loss of my father, the sadness of watching my mother grieve and coping with the trauma that my son endured at the hands of his school. Healing comes in its own time, but I can focus on enriching my life daily while I’m waiting. As I finish up this post, I’d like to share three of the books that have been game changers for me over the last two years. I chose to listen to them on Audible. They were all read by the authors. As I listened to each of them narrate their work, it felt like I had a friend sitting close by sharing her stories, advice, and heartfelt compassion.

1. The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown
2. You are a Badass by Jen Sincero
3. The Five Second Rule by Mel Robbins

These women inspired me to live bravely every day, and they don’t even know it. I hope that someday I can provide the same comfort and inspiration they have given me to someone else.