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.
Thank you so much for including me in this wonderful blog post, Cheryl! As much as I may have taught you, you did the same for me! I appreciate you letting me share the beautiful early parenting moments with you and Bryson, and I am beyond thrilled to have you on our 30Second Mom team. You bring so much talent and positive energy, and I can't wait to see where this year takes us! Won't it be fun to pick the word that summarizes 2013 at this time next year? I just can't wait! Big love to you, chica!
Thank YOU for including BOTH Bryson and I in the 30Second Mom team! I am so grateful to have the opportunity to combine two things I love in life AND meet such an amazing group of supportive women! I have learned so much from each of you and SO look forward to picking the 2013 word 🙂
Great post… I've known Elisa for years and it is no surprise that her company is so positive… that's just how she rolls! I hope 2013 is just as full of new experiences for you!
What a wonderful way to be, right?! Thank you so much for your comment; she is a role model for us all. I wish the same for you- enjoy 2013 and all it has to bring!
What a great post! I especially like the part about saying 'no' as I'm a yes person. I found your blog through January's blog hop and am so happy I did!
Enjoy your day 🙂
♥ Talia
http://rubytiaradiaries.blogspot.com
THANK you so much for taking the time to read and comment Talia! I think saying 'no' is one of the hardest things to do, but I learned that if you say no to one thing, you are saying yes to something else, even if that is just some down time. I will definitely check out your blog as well, thanks for stopping by!