Last year was filled with change. I took my life and tipped it upside down.
I left the only way of life that I had known and stepped into the unknown.
Humans are resilient and change is good. It promotes & fosters learning.
This is what life taught me in 2010:
- urban life offers everything within walking distance which was a huge contrast to having lived 60 miles from Starbucks (I’m turning over the rural advocacy to @BeckyMcCray)
- I took online shopping to a new level by finding my house on the web & knew that I would buy it before setting foot in it (how’s that for marketing?)
- buying a house and getting settled takes a lot of time & energy
- I can now pack without thinking after having traveled 3 weeks per month (and I only take what I need and can carry)
- being open to new experiences is amazing – my trip to India was incredible!
Some have asked what I’ve been up to and why my blog has been quiet. I rarely write about my personal life, but I thought I would share a glimpse. Last year I got divorced, moved twice, experienced new cultures, made many new friends and reunited with old ones. I wrote a series of 10 white papers on social media monitoring and ROI, did some speaking and a lot of traveling. It was a year of incredible growth in many aspects.
Most importantly I have found a much needed balance. I am reclaiming some of the things that I loved to do. They aren’t related to the online world and it’s quite refreshing.
- I planted over 100 tulips last fall and am ready for spring which is my favorite season
- My house provides me with a great place to work and requires my time in a good way
Now that I have reestablished a grounding, it’s time to put many of the things that fell by the wayside back in place. So here come the new year’s resolutions. Putting them here will cause people to remind me to stick to them:
- exercise (the shiny new treadmill needs to get broken in)
- more time for reading and learning
- blogging more frequently – I enjoy writing & miss it
- interacting with my friends and reading their thoughts – Twitter has it’s place but it doesn’t replace blogs
- attending more in-person events in the MSP area & giving back – it’s great to a be a part of this community!
What are you doing this year to have a more balanced life and what steps are you taking towards it?
Thanks for the update Connie. I had been wondering what was going on in your life, since we had that interesting meal together in Victoria a couple of years ago with Michael Allison. It sounds like you’ve found a very good place after an eventful year. I’m looking forward to more of your blogging in the months ahead. I’ve also let my blogging slide and I’ve made it one of my goals for the year to get back into a rhythm that works again. All the best in 2011.