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Hello - Is It Me Your Looking For?

  • Vickie T. Baker
  • Jun 14, 2016
  • 4 min read

The song Hello by Lionel Ritchie has been running through my head lately. Specifically the verse that says - is it me your looking for? The answer is yes - I have spent the past year looking for me.

2015 was an eventful year for me. I quit my 30+ year career, published my first book on Amazon, built a website, started an on-line health coaching business, broke my left wrist, officially entered menopause, was diagnosed with Hashimotos Thyroiditis and high blood pressure and gained 10 pounds. Then in August my beloved eleven year old Poruguese Water Dog, Izabel, passed away suddenly of hemangiosarcoma (click to learn more). I just simply stopped and stepped back to digest life for awhile. I was numb for a few months after Izzy died. It was the first time in over thirty years that I wasn't directly responsible for another being. I had reached another of life's decision points.

Life to me is a big tall decision tree. The longer you live, the more branches you climb and decisions you have to make. It starts with what do you wear to school, who are your friends? Then moves on into decisions such as; Do you get a job or go on to college after high school? Do you get married or remain single? Do you have children or not? Do you go to a National Park or the beach on vacation? Do you retire or keep working? Do you start a business or chuck it all and travel around the world? Do you get a pet? Do you buy a house or rent? Do you take a new job or stay where you are? At some point in our lives, we are thrown into a decision point not of our choosing, due to a major health issue, death of a loved one, loss of a job or divorce.

When you find your self teetering on a new branch on your decision tree - I encourage you to just stop and listen to the voices in your head. You may not hear them right away. It may take a day, a week, a month, a year or even longer to really hear yourself and understand what you really want to do. We are different people at 50, 60 and 70 than we were at 20, 30 and 40 and that which matters most to us now likely has changed. Sometimes we are on a journey for so long that we forget where the destination was. What if it isn't there anymore? What if it doesn't really matter anymore? I am not advocating for giving up on your dreams, but rather challenging you to ask yourself how can you achieve them in a different way now. It is important for each of us to simply stop and take time to evaluate where we are and where we really want to go. What do you want to do with your life for the next 50 years? It truly is never too late, but it is different. Vickie's 80/20 Rules #1 states: 80% of your joy comes from just 20% of your daily activites. So choose the activities every that that truly bring you joy!

The Puppy in the picture is Crew, whom we welcomed into our lives in December. Following several months of contemplation, soul searching and listening to my inner voice, my husband and I agreed to get our second Portie, but we made a conscious decision to do it different this time. We want to provide him the ability to do what Porties were born to do. So we agreed to jump in and learn how to train him to complete in water trials. We have attended a couple of water camps already to learn how to train him and met a whole new group of wonderful Portie owners who provide support, encouragement and friendship on our journey. We are having fun watching him learn and grow as we are learning and growing along side him. One of the events in water trials is for the handler to swim with the dog for up to two minutes. So my personal challenge is to finally learn how to swim. This is a long journey with many milestones along the way, but it is nice to have a direction.

So, Crew - it was you I was looking for. I hope you find what you are looking for too.

One of my passions is reading. I read daily and come across both inspiration articles and articles that simply amaze me. So I have decided to share with my readers each month the links of at least one article that I find inspiring and Worth Sharing and one that I call You can't make this stuff up. Enjoy.

Worth Sharing

You Can't Make this Stuff Up

 
 
 

Comments

Vickie's

80/20 Rules

#1 

80% of the joy in your life comes from 20% of your activities. Do what gives you joy. 

 

#2

80% of good health is created by 20% of your positive activites.  Be your own health advocate.   

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#3

80% of fat loss is the result of changing 20% of the food you eat.

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#4

80% of the positive change you can make in your life comes from identifying and modifying just 20% of what you do.

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