The week between Christmas and New Years is kind of a “free” week. I’m too tired from the holidays to work, the house is a mess from celebrating, and I don’t usually have any sessions because everyone else feels the same way.

There is more than enough time to relax and contemplate the things that worked for me both personally and professionally. Personally, I feel like I have finally learned to balance my life. I have set firm boundaries and cleared my path of people who don’t line up with my morals and ethics. I choose to be around people who lift me up and offer positive vibes. And I have learned to say “no” or “no thank you”. This goes for me personally and professionally.

In my 29 years of business, I have tried just about everything. Some things just don’t work for me. Or I just don’t enjoy doing them. So, I have finally come to a place in my life where I can say, “I have retired from that”, or “I no longer offer that service” or “I appreciate you asking but let me refer you to someone who offers that service”. I don’t know why I was not able to set those boundaries when I was younger. Those words have set me free. I have made more room in my life to do the things that I love.

Something I started doing this year and will continue doing is reaching out to one friend a week. Sometimes just to tell them that I am thinking about them, and sometimes to request a lunch date. Good friends are hard to come by. And sometimes it takes years to form a lasting bond. (especially when we are raising kids and have busy lives) I love my tribe and could not do this life without them.