Nothing too creative to start

This evening I decided to review my International Coach Academy (ICA) graduation requirements. And I wish I would have reviewed them about a month ago when I started really delving into my classes. But the blog sounded like fun so I decided to take the plunge. Into the world of allowing whoever should stumble across this site to reading my online journal. 

I don't expect this blog to become famous like the author of 'Julie & Julia.' But I do hope that it will reflect some of the evolution I feel upon embarking on this new career adventure. So please ignore the grammatical errors and visit me on occasion. My greatest ambition for this blog is that in a few months it will attract some paying clients to my coaching business.

Now before bedtime I will share with you a bit about myself. (And decide how many cards I want out on the table).  Somehow I don't really think any of the accomplishments, adventures,  sorrows, and challenges that I have experienced in my life are that original. But when I share them with others the reactions are often, 'oh wow' OR 'I'm sorry.'  I am a Christian, I believe that God has given me blessings and challenges in various forms to guide me along my journey.  My faith works for me in many ways, but don't worry I am not the type of believer that will beat you over the head with my beliefs. Everyone experiences God differently.

Currently I am embarking on a very common thing for someone in their early 30's, a career change.  I will borrow a phrase I heard, I am in the mists of 'the quarter life crisis.' Perhaps several of you can relate 5-10 years out of college and life doesn't look at all like you imagined it. Personally I am tired of being broke living paycheck to paycheck, while most of my friends have retirement plans. And take vacations that aren't funded by inheritance.  Also for a long time I thought 'oh I'm too young to be married.' At 29 I realized I was almost too old not to be married. Still my favorite fridge magnet is, 'I think therefore I am single.' But last year I went through a divinely guided journey in realizing what I want my future to look like. The journey of COACHING as a new way of thinking, a career, and a shift in my attitude is how I am going to get there. I constantly keep in mind that even if change is 3 steps forward and one step back. I try not to focus too much on that one step back the important thing is that we are all stepping in a new direction. (That last sentence proves that I have drank the cool-aid). 

Here is my brief biography. Born in Montana to two slightly unbalanced parents. My Mom took me and moved me down to Northern Colorado when I was 6 yrs old. My grandmother helped raise me in a town that consistently makes the 'top places to live' lists. Typical upbringing of seeing my father for a few weeks in the summer and a week in the winter.  And somehow my outdoorsy, sarcastic humor, and my intellect are attributes of my father.  I attribute my culinary/ baking skills to my dad and my grandmother. Which lead me to my 1st profession. After few years of floundering after getting a B.S. in Psychology in Texas.  I decided to go to culinary school in NYC.  And my financial ability to go was a blessing from my father's estate. 

Occasionally I wonder how different I would be as a person if I hadn't been raised with a bi-polar mother OR if my father hadn't committed suicide when I was 19 yrs old.  His death started a decade of sorrow-filled good-byes to ten family members (on both sides of my family).  Three of those deaths including my father's where like losing parents in terms of the closeness of relationship.  We are taught that death is a part of life, what we aren't taught is how to react to death.  Recently while watching a YouTube video by Tabitah Jayne, she mentions that a lot can be accomplished while in grief.  My grief caused me to want to see the world and have new adventures. But it also caused me to turn inward and guard myself from new experiences especially romantically.  I truly am grateful for the challenges brought about from my un-balance parents and my grandmother for giving me perspective on how to cope. I know if it weren't for them I wouldn't be as empathetic or caring.  I think the other me with 'normal' parents, maybe even a sibling, would have been boring.

Briefly I mentioned my 'crazy' bi-polar mother.  Encouraging her to go live in the Philippines with her nurse seem and easy choice at the time.  Clearing out her house and visiting her in her new life was a new challenge. It has been over 6 years since my Mom has lived almost full time in a foreign country.  I know that it is a blessing because she is naturally happier with her surroundings and less dependent on medication. I also know that her leaving the area was the only way that I could return to live in Northern Colorado (NoCO). I recognize the selfishness of that statement. But it is the reality of being raised as an only child along side as single bi-polar parent. Parent/ child rolls were never that established for us. And oddly recently I have realized how having my mother be far away and her state of mind and body continually declining in a way I have experience loosing another parent.  Even as grown children I think all of us still need a little bit of comfort or parental guidance from time to time.  Chances are more than one reader this can relate to looking to older adults to receive the grown advice/parenting that we need. If our own parents lack in that area or aren't around anymore.

After culinary school in NYC and working there for a bit I returned to CO after about a year and a half of being away.  My advice to anyone who is up for it LEAVE HOME. It is not in everyone's nature to venture to a new place. But you will never fully appreciate where you are from until you leave it and experience new places and people with different mindsets. I have gone to college in TX, culinary school in NYC, worked as an au pair in Connecticut, lived/worked on a cruise ship around the Hawaiian Islands, worked on ranches in Colorado, rode horses on beaches in Ireland and New Zealand, wreck dived in the Philippines, and wandered many city streets including Paris and London.  

I have been a friend for a brief period of a few hours or few months in some of these places. Some friends I have retained for the next chapter and some sadly drifted into memories. However they make some good antidotes to share or an example of a different way to think.  In particular I remember gay friends from the cruise ship. They are who I bring to mind when surrounded by those who limit their friendships only who they feel 'comfortable' around.  We should all challenge our fears of the unknown types of people, places, experiences to expand our world view and see what the universe wants us to really experience. I don't want to discredit the value of having life long friendships. I shared this paraphrase with my 5 friends who I have known since Jr. High (about 2/3 of our lives). An article I came across while sorting out Mom's house mentioned that people tend to life longer if they have had long-term friendships.  I am discovering sometimes via e-mail or facebook postings these amazing women will always be there to defend and support me. So count yourself lucky if you have even one friend you have known most of your life that you speak to or see once a month. Well I must sign-off a short rest before a long day in the kitchens awaits me. I send out a quick prayer, realizing that was a lot of myself to share and I hope it is well received.  

Final thoughts:

"He who knows his destination and heads directly to it while get there quickly.

He who knows his destination but takes the odd wrong turn along the way, will still get there, and be wiser for the experience." -Peter Karsten. I found this quote on a bookmark in New Zealand. 

For the procrastinators like me 'the to-do list would be a lot shorter if I would just do it already.'