It’s here – the end of another year, the end of another decade.
And the beginning of a new one.
2020. (‘Twenties are here again!’ as my friend wrote on her Instagram, with a pic of some happy flapper dancers LOL)
My hope (and intention) is to welcome 2020 as an opportunity and as a gift of clarity. (Maybe not 20/20 vision, but close 🙂 )
A gift of clarity on what to let go and what to build on. Clarity on how we can serve better, contribute to our world in positive ways, and (my personal intention) clarity on how to keep providing for my family.
An important part of gaining clarity is looking back to see where we’ve been. (As Winnie the Pooh says: “I always get to where I’m going by walking away from where I have been.”)
So here is my quick review:
Over the past ten years, I produced: a TV show, a full length musical, a big band show, countless concert tours, and a cruise.
I published books, released several CDs, wrote music, wrote a consistent weekly blog (and for a few years, I blogged on HuffPost) and published a monthly column for a magazine Svjetlo Rijeci.
I created a coaching program, produced shows and events. I attempted a tour in Croatia (unsuccessfully). I co-founded and ran a children’s’ theater in Cincinnati. I moved and started a new life in Nashville, TN. I helped two inmates graduate from a life-skills program and spent many hours volunteering.
I made thousands of homemade meals, helped with kids’ homework, drove them to activities, played with Legos and trains, read books and sang songs with them. I cried tears of joy as I watched my sons graduate kindergarten, middle school and high school. I watched two of them drive away on their 16th birthdays and I somehow drove away when I dropped my oldest son off at college.
I also overcome my depression, anxiety and panic attacks, and learned practices that keep me emotionally and mentally balanced. I almost got divorced (in 2011), worked hard with Matthew on our marriage, loved my husband through his battle with cancer and after I lost him, I somehow got back up (all bruised and broken) and continued to make a life for me and our sons.
It’s a lot.
And when I look at it all, I see a lot of persistence and consistent disciplined work that resulted in some cool projects. But not everything turned out amazing or successful.
I sometimes ran in circles or allowed fear to keep me stuck – which is definitely a place I don’t want to go back to. I never focused on how many figures I’d make, but I was able to build a solid family business (with the help of my late husband who was my biz partner).
What made it all worthwhile were the lessons I learned, how much I loved, and whether my work touched someone in an uplifting and positive way.
These lessons are what I’m bringing into the new decade. I am incorporating each heartbreak, each failure and each success into the work I am doing now – with an intention to create content that inspires peace and a sense of fulfillment in our lives.
I learned that there are no magic formulas that will bring us what we need and want. I learned that God’s miracles come through our participation and intentional, mindful living. And I learned that stillness is the place to start when we don’t know where to go.
And when we have clarity on how to keep Love at the core of all we do, say and create, we can create a wonderful 2020 – with abundance for all, with dancing and laughter, and support for each other in times of hardship.
With that thought, I wish you a happy, healthy and joyous New Year!
I’m grateful we are on this journey together.
(And take a moment this weekend to write down the highlights of the past decade and see what characteristics you’d like to let go of and what you’d like to build on!)
