This is 49!
What I’ve been doing…
I turned 49 this week. It’s the last year of my 40s. I’m surprised that I’m in a good place about it. In the past I’ve had a hard time on the 8’s: 18, 28, 38. The hardest year in my 40s was definitely 45, which is when I started the podcast.
The podcast completely transformed my life. I was working full time as an interior designer when I started it. Before I launched it, I bought a few sessions with a voice coach who worked with me on my voice and delivery. It’s absolutely not necessary to do that if you want to start a podcast, but it was pivotal for me because I had grown accustomed to censoring myself and playing small. I was frustrated by the sound of my voice, although that is not uncommon. It’s called: voice confrontation. That’s a perfect term for it because I was constantly struggling with mine. And, struggle, as we know, is exhausting.
Working with the coach was so invigorating, I wondered if I could do something like that to help other women. Before I followed my husband to an overseas position, I worked in communications and as a speechwriter. One evening, I told my husband that I wanted to quit my job and go back to school for a graduate degree in strategic communication. It was something that I’d wanted to do for 25 years. I had put it off because it was expensive. Because I didn’t deserve it. Because I would lean in on my dreams once the kids left home. Because so much time had gone by.
I did make the leap, and all was mostly smooth until the pandemic hit. I believe I had COVID-19 in February 2020 because I was flat out sick for 10 days and then ended up with crippling anxiety that did not cease. I was taking a full-time load of classes and it was very challenging. The kids were both home doing online schooling. I couldn’t see family and friends. All my free time was devoted to trying to heal.
At that time, I stopped podcasting. Listenership actually dropped in the early days of the pandemic when people were no longer commuting, and probably obsessively checking the news. It was an easy decision. But, then time went on. And, on…
It's been almost two years since I was on the air, and in that time my life and interests have changed. I graduated! I sent my oldest off to college! At some point this year, I will have some more episodes, and they may have a twist. Right now, I’m focused on seeing where blogging takes me. I’m launching that coaching business, and will be blogging there about communications. I am passionate about giving midlife women who have been afraid to lean into their voice the tools to use it confidently and strategically. I have some other things up my sleeve, so stay tuned.
My birthday…
We celebrated my birthday yesterday with two other couples in a bubble (or an igloo, as my friend more generously termed it) on the Potomac River in Georgetown. With Washington, DC being the hottest Omicron spot in the nation, we thought this was safer than dining inside. It was not even 30 degrees out, but fortunately it had two heaters and was beautifully decorated. We watched the sun go down, and had a wonderful time. Last year we celebrated in a friend’s garage due to COVID-19, so it was definitely a step in the right direction.
I didn’t always celebrate my birthday. A few years ago I decided that it was important to mark the passage of time. To spend it with family and friends, and make it a joyous occasion. The most important thing is that we decide what we want and then do it. And, that may change from year to year. If we want to be alone, that’s fine. I think it’s important to check yourself to make sure you like your reason, as Brooke Castillo says. I didn’t like my reason for not celebrating because I couldn’t even come up with one.
There’s a lot I want to do in this final year of my 40s. My oldest son and I did the “22 in 2022” goal setting that Gretchen Rubin does every year. He said mine seemed ambitious, but I want it to be an ambitious year.
I’m feeling good about 49! Let’s bring it!
I’d love to hear what you are up to right now…Do you celebrate your birthday?
Photo by Georgia de Lotz on Unsplash