For those who are not familiar with my blog, 2023 became the year for revamping my entire life by closing my 38-year-old consulting practice, downsizing all that I have hoarded over the years to fit into two 10×10 storage units and become a nomad. Besides a 6 week stay in New York City, I have already moved to Mexico with plans to stay for 6 months and then to Italy through next year. Here is what those first 30 days of beginning a new chapter have been like….
This is my third story reflecting on what it takes to enter a new chapter in life and the amount of effort and work it takes to get there. The decision to retire and liberate oneself from years of accumulating possessions is both demanding and hard to do. As creatures of habits, you don’t realize how emotionally attached you become to your possessions and daily rituals. Not letting go is our own internal resistance to embracing change. Once I’ve packed my choice belongings into two 10×10 storage units…what’s next? Here’s the good and the bad in planning for a year-long journey on the road….
You are getting close to being 70 and you no longer love what you do as much. The house that you worked so hard to renovate and make it your sanctuary ain’t cutting it anymore, although the kitchen is still your favorite spot. Family and friends are moving on to new careers, ventures and places while you are thinking about what’s next for you. You long for change that is both purposeful and fun. …….. How does one begin?…..
Having seen the trailer on Tom Hanks’ recent movie “A Man Called Otto”, it frankly did not pique my interest. I love Tom Hanks as an actor and a humanitarian, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to see a movie that reminded me of an older, grumpier Forrest Gump character. After 10 minutes of scrolling through movies to watch on Netflix and not finding anything that sparked my curiosity, I settled on what was familiar to me. Surprise, surprise, this movie is a gem and so inspiring as it touches on the complexity of human emotions and how it affects our humanity……
As a tribute to my mother on this Mother’s Day who I dearly miss, I am reposting this story that I wrote two years ago, thinking of her and remembering how much my travels reminded me of her. This story does not contain that much information about my mom as its focus is on how I remember her when seeing and photographing clotheslines. This experience made me so curious about what is no longer a common practice in the US. But more importantly, it is such a wonderful memory of both my childhood and my mother’s flawless clotheslines….
As I reach the important milestone of turning 70 years old, I can’t help thinking how shorter the path is in front of me as I pause and reflect on what will truly make me happy and purposeful. How do I celebrate a healthy 70 of which I’m most grateful, even though I don’t move as quickly as I used to? A year ago, I wrote an article about the relevance of celebrating birthdays, and anniversaries of which I am re-posting with some minor edits on the third anniversary of my blog. Upon reading it, I immediately made plans to celebrate in a big way on what is already a busy transition year for me. Why repost? —-to inspire others to celebrate life to the fullest.
Loreto, Mexico is in the Baja California Sur peninsula about 300 miles from Cabo San Lucas. The town faces the Sea of Cortez, an amazing body of water of the color of lapis lazuli where whales come to mate and birth their young between the months of January-March. The town is surrounded by what is known as the Sierra de la Giganta, a mountain range of rugged golden hills in a desert environment of immense beauty and mystery. If you are looking for a road less traveled or a change of scenery, you may want to head out to Loreto. Here’s why?
As 2022 comes to an end, I can’t help thinking about what went well, and what didn’t. I remain stupefied over how quickly this year has left us. Yup, so much that I wanted to accomplish and didn’t quite get there. Yet, grateful to be alive and healthy to try again. In thinking back and reflecting on the events of 2022, we can be both grateful and disappointed at how the world is changing. Let me rephrase that…..how our humanity is changing. In reviewing all that we have seen and heard in 2022, here is my best shot at what made the cut for me….
The magic of opening a door that could lead to something entirely different never escapes me and is why I am so fascinated by the architectural designs of doors from all over the world. I am drawn by the intricacies of both new and older colonial style doors on homes, churches and buildings. In Mexico, doors represent both protection and pride as well as an invitation to come in. Walking through Merida’s streets photographing so many captivating doors, I could not help wandering about the history and cultural elements that built this unique craftmanship…
Owning is owing, having is hoarding”. This quote by Úrsula Guin has been on my mind lately. Over the last six months, I’ve been thinking hard on how to downsize what is 30+ years of collecting, storing and holding onto things. It is a bit overwhelming to come up with a system of how best to do this while managing a business and the rest of my life. Guess what? I have less than 6 months to make this happen…