Saying Goodbye to 2019

I started 2019 with high hopes and a lot of enthusiasm.  It turned out to be a difficult year in so many different ways.  I'm not sad to leave this year behind.

On the difficult side, I struggled physically with plantar fasciitis, then IT band syndrome, both of which interrupted my physical progress in TRX class.  I lost my mother, dealt with my grief by eating my feelings, which resulted in reaching my highest weight EVER (seriously, I weighed less when I was 9 months pregnant with twins).  Sarah lost a good friend to cancer and then had her own health struggles - and you know as a Mom, when your child struggles, you feel it - deep in your core.  I was finally getting myself back on track, losing weight, feeling good about life, when I learned that I was losing my job.  Now unemployed, I am once again working on getting back on track.

On the happier side, there was a lot of positive in 2019.  Becca passed her PTA program, passed her Boards, got a job, and got engaged.  We had a fabulous family vacation at Disney. I walked and kept up with my family with minimal pain. I found a craft shop that I LOVE and took several in person classes.  We did a LOT of wedding planning stuff. I handled my position elimination with extreme professionalism and left on good terms with all.  And I ticked a LOT off my 2019 goals...

Remember this list?  Here's the final tally:
1. No - changed my mind.
2. DONE! Plus CMLX2 and ICC as well.
3. DONE! 47 books read. Audible really helps.
4. Yes?  Final tally 729 items plus 13+ pounds of paper (old files purged). Paper averaged 100+ sheets per pound, so if we are counting individual sheets of paper, I made it.
5. Progress, but not complete.
6. DONE!
7. DONE!
8. DONE! Plus 3 bedrooms upstairs too!
9. YES! Not yet consistently, but after TRX class I usually can.
10. No.
11. No. I started off well, but then not so much.
12. DONE!
13. DONE!
14. DONE! Even the "repeat" part!
15. DONE!
16. DONE!
17. No.
18. Not even close.  I think I completed two lessons all year.
19. It sure did. Not in ways I had imagined.

So, 13 of my original 19 goals complete.  I'm happy with that number, all things considered.  Now it's time to make plans for 2020... I'm excited for a new year, a new decade, and the promise of so many possibilities to come.  You can remind me I said that if I get all whiny and depressed during the upcoming job search.

Eliminated

I've been absent for three months.  A lot has happened in that time frame.  My travel schedule did threaten to ruin me and my last trip to Rockville was... well... my last trip to Rockville.  My position with my company is being eliminated.  I will officially join the ranks of the unemployed on December 27, 2019.

I've already been through the seven stages of grief.  The shock/denial phase lasted all of about five minutes.  I knew when my boss left back in March that this was a possibility and in some ways I'm surprised I lasted through the end of the year.  Anger, bargaining, depression, and testing has been somewhat circular over the last month as I worked through knowledge transition and wrapping things up with our human resources department.  Today I sent out my farewell email to my colleagues and I'm honestly glad to have that task done. 

All that remains is acceptance.  And writing a resume - something I haven't done in 17 years.  And starting a job search.

All of which will wait until the New Year.  Right now I want to slow down, enjoy the holidays, take stock, and be truly deliberate with my job search and finding the next right thing for me.

I'm reaching out just to let you all know what has happened and why I've been MIA.  I'm guessing that after the holidays I might have more time to be present here!

Happy Holidays everyone!  Catch you soon!

Cheri