Another year, a BIG milestone….. believe it or not, today is my 65th birthday!
Do I feel 65? Not on most days but I will admit, MS has kicked my butt a little bit more this year.
I have been doing an annual reflection since I started blogging… and this year is no different filled with lots of gratitude!
As the world returns to “normal” (whatever that is) I struggle with stepping out of my comfort zone. This introvert is content to be home with hubby. I am grateful NA meetings have opened up and hugs are shared again. This year, I have continued to learn so much about me. But mostly, I learned I am okay being with me which is HUGE!
I am blessed to have woken up this morning. No matter what the day may bring, I know it will be WONDERFUL! Am I always this optimistic – NOPE! I’m determined to be positive and make the most of each day. I no longer live in negativity or want to be surrounded by drama. Thankfully, brain fog mornings have been few and far between. I have accepted using my brace when I leave the house and will be doing some walking. The scale hasn’t really changed much but the inches are slowly melting away. I will take that any day, what about you???
The “birthdays” of the past where they were just another day are gone. The days of low self-esteem, a lack of confidence and nasty inner gremlins who made me feel like I didn’t deserve a celebration have been let go. Today, I was blessed to wake up without expectations. Expectations lead to hurt feelings and resentments so why have them, right? Just for today, I like myself. I am grateful for whatever the day may bring. Birthdays are milestones in our lives. As children, they are a day (or sometimes a week or even a month) where the focus is on us. Filled with presents, parties, family, friends and of course cake and ice cream. As the years go by, life “happens” and things change. Whatever the celebration is like today – it will be okay!
I stepped down as a Director with Thirty One this year. I will always be a Thirty One girl. I am happy to share my love of the products without the stress of hitting numbers. Yup, I can easily get wrapped up in the shoulda, coulda woulda as well as the comparison game which steals my joy. As a result, I am still a walking billboard happy to help anyone solve their gift giving or organizational challenge. I can’t believe it has been 11 1/2 years with this amazing company.
Angels by Hope has a busy Etsy store which I do take on the road locally for some craft shows. I love sharing my angels with everyone. Gifting my angels has been the greatest blessing to me this year… it allows me to bring a smile to the face of others as they heal through their latest struggle. Allowing the creative juices to flow has been exciting and actually has been a form of therapy. It helps with processing thoughts the same as working my puzzles help with eye hand coordination. Puzzles are my jam (do they still say that?) and I average about one a week.
Because of my new love for cooking and trying new recipes, I have joined Epicure. Good food, fast and easy in 30 minutes or less including prep! We are eating cleaner – much less processed, more organic, and definitely gluten free. Hubby has even jumped on the bandwagon – willingly. LOL. Check it out if you are looking for healthy meal solutions (allergen free).
I hold fast to my mantra “every day is a gift from God with a blessing to be found.” It seems like this is turning into one of those “holiday letters” you get from people you only hear from once a year…. LOL. Or maybe the makings of a Hallmark movie.
I have to admit the tears are starting to flow and I am okay with feeling the feelings. With the help of my NA family, a new home group and a new sponsor, I am learning to live life on life’s terms. Working on steps and sharing at meetings has definitely helped this “old lady” to heal and grow. I’m grateful and blessed to say God willing, we will have four years on the 22nd!
There are many people I could (and probably should) thank or talk about from this past year. Please don’t feel slighted… you have all been a blessing in my life. This has been a great year and I am looking forward to the blessings God has for me in this new year. I can’t believe I am actually 65 years old – okay, so it is only a number, right? Now, I am really “over the hill” and not like I was when I turned 40 (that is a story for another day! LOL)
Have a blessed day!
Angels by Hope took off during the holiday season. I love sharing my angels with everyone. New ideas continue to come along…. some are a success while others are definite flops. Allowing the creative juices to flow again has been exciting. It helps with processing the same as working my puzzles help with eye hand coordination.
What do you think of when you think of someone who is “assertive”? Assertion is simply expressing yourself in a honest, straightforward way which helps you get what you need. It shows respect for yourself and others. So, why do we have such a hard time with it? Why does it have such a negative connotation?
Being assertive is not being aggressive although we tend to lump the two of them together. We worry when we assert ourselves people won’t like us. We allow others needs to outweigh our own (those people pleasing gremlins). Honestly, I think this is a skill (yes, it is a skill) I never really learned. The reality is, once you master being assertive in an effective way, you will be able to let go of the fear of coming on too strong.
Think about situations where you wish you would have been assertive. Maybe it was saying “no” to a piece of cake or to adding another thing on your to do list. Maybe it was simply making time for YOU in the course of a crazy busy day or week. For me, it is usually about putting everyone and everything before what I would like. Yup, the proverbial people pleaser.
Hope Wissel 