My 2012 Word of the Year: Education

My friend and colleague Elisa inspired me to pick a word that summed
up my 2012, and that word is Education. Last year I did a lot of things
right, but I also did a lot of things very wrong. Fortunately, that just
means I am human!

I wanted to share a brief list of
what I learned and hope that you might be able to learn a thing or two
from my brilliant friends as well. If I don’t mention you in this post,
don’t take offense- I most likely learned something from you that might
be too personal to post online (yes, I do have a filter on occasion…).

The Loving No

I
am a yes person. Always have been and probably always will be. To a
fault. An article that my friend and fellow 30Second Mom writer Dr.
Christina Hibbert penned really hit home. She introduced the term
“loving no” to me, and I have been trying achingly hard to incorporate
it into my life. I was blown away that by the simple fact that you can
say no in a loving way. Thanks Christi! To read more about this
mind-blowing concept, check out her article on Achieving Balance.

Old Friendships and Belly Laughs

 I
recently visited a friend that I have known for 31 years (yes, we met
when we were babies and yes, I did just spell out my age for you). We
have had our ups and downs, but I am absolutely thrilled to have her in
my life. There is no substitute for a shared history. Rekindle an old
friendship if you can and don’t be afraid of the reaction. If they
aren’t so keen on hearing from you, you will be in the same boat as
before but at least know you tried. The feeling of laughing about the
time you dressed her little brother up as a honorary member of the
Golden Girls will give you enough entertainment for the year!

Family First- This Means You Too!

I
met Elisa All through 30Second Mom this year. When she and I sat down a
while back, she shared her vision of a company where family came first
and where women could learn from each other. As many of you know,
corporate America doesn’t often subscribe to that same set of beliefs.
Her faith and trust inspired me to continue to forge a career of my own,
on my own terms. She is such an inspiration with all that she has
accomplished on the business end in addition to being such an integral
part of her children’s lives. Family comes first, you included!

The Supreme Court Rulings & R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

I
have a group of two friends that I lovingly refer to as the Supreme
Court or SC (I don’t even think they know this, but they know who they
are). Whenever I have a problem that drives me batty, I send a group
text to get their take on it. The request could be anything from what to
wear under yoga pants at the gym to dealing with a personal identity
crisis. These gals don’t tell me what I want to hear because, well, they
know that doesn’t do any good. I learned one of the biggest lessons
from them this year- you deserve respect from everyone in your life. If
someone isn’t treating you with respect, it is time to respectfully put
it to rest.