2014 was an interesting year. It was my first full year of not working full time for the company that I retired from. I truly enjoyed the change in pace. One of my goals when I left the company in the fall of 2013 was to honor my body's rhythms regarding the need to take breaks, to rest, to meditate: to create space that supported my highest good and my best work. That effort has been amazingly rewarding.
I don't think most businesses understand the loss in productivity and creativity they experience at the expense of regimented work environments. I am reminded of Covey's book The Speed of Trust when I think about how empowering the freedom to be able to create your work space and time-frames allows. So 2014 was a year where I was able to really immerse myself in developing the self trust necessary to create and live optimally.
2014 was my first full year in living the life of a freelance creative. I give a deep bow to Alexandra Franzen for her amazing guidance and inspiration in pursuing this undertaking. There are a lot of collective fears harbored by Baby Boomers around not being gainfully employed. There is a fear that if income requirements were to suddenly find them adrift from the corporate, single employer world, all would be lost. I personally had similar fears as I undertook this adventure towards my better self. At the end of a year I am pleasingly surprised at how much more productive I am; at the variety of work that I do, working only for people I truly like and admire, doing things that truly make a difference in the world. It has been a rewarding year and I continue to grow my income base, spreading it across multiple projects. The upside... the loss of a project or job doesn't throw me on rocky shores. I have found that resilience in resetting the sails and adjusting course is much easier to work through than being cast adrift. I no longer fear the latter outcome as I have a greater opportunity to control the variables.
The year did start on a very sad note for me, as a friendship that I truly valued and thought was a lasting one came to an end. I am now OK with not knowing what really happened, and I choose to forgive and move on, but the loss is still with me and will be for some time. Sometimes relationships aren't meant to last forever, and the important thing is to hold on to the good and let the rest go. So that is something that I have worked on this last year.
My goal of living close to the ocean and in a warmer climate has been realized. In moving from Wisconsin to Florida, I am now in a much better place for me with regards to weather and location. I found myself a virtual shut-in in Wisconsin as I battled allergies and asthma, but in Florida I am able to go to the beach regularly. There are, available to me here, year round Farmer's Markets and fresh organic produce 365 days a year, allowing me to eat healthier.
Spiritually, the beginning of the year saw me having to move away from a spiritual center that I had been volunteering at and felt strongly connected to and move back to Wisconsin. That was a difficult move for me as I felt a strong connection with this center and a strong bond with it's members. I continued to stay in touch and continued to serve and volunteer from a distance. I am pleased that I was able to end the year having moved back to Florida, and in a Compassion Meditation Retreat at my beloved center. It feels that I finally came full circle through this year's detour and am once again back where I am supposed to be and need to be. It feels good.
Finally, the unchanging commitment that I have to the highest good of all is still the thread that continues to weave itself through my life and has for many, many years, so I close this post with my wish for all for the upcoming year and years beyond:
For all of the peoples and the nations of the earth, may not even the names disease, famine, war, and suffering be heard, but rather, may their moral conduct, merit, wealth and prosperity increase and may supreme good fortune and well being always arise for them.
I send this out into the world to take hold in the hearts and minds of people everywhere, to bring peace and compassion, and to enrich lives. Wishing you a year full of blessings.
With Love,
Betsy
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