On a panel for Senior Empowerment series at Botanica
I’ve been trying to settle down to write you a regular article all day, but it’s just not happening. I woke up at 3:30 am, brimming with where to go with the idea I’ve been pondering all weekend. Before going back to sleep, I thought, “I should really write all this down.” But I didn’t. I know you’ve been there, so I’m sure you understand.
Sometimes it’s harder to write than others. Lately, I just haven’t been feeling it. Sure, we can blame it on the holidays. The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas seemed more rushed than usual this year, but if I’m honest with myself, that’s not the reason I’m feeling burned out. I was feeling the burn before that.
Last Thursday, I was honored to be a panelist for Katherine Ambrose’s Empowered Senior series she does every month at Botanica. The topic was “Welcome to Life in the 2020's” and planning goals for the year ahead. In the email she sent me to prepare for the panel, the description said, “Do you ever feel stuck?”
The question caught my attention because I know from personal experience that it’s hard to set goals when you can’t admit to yourself that it’s time for something different. It’s like your mind won’t let you go in any direction until you stop ignoring the elephant in the room – the big change you must make to keep moving forward. But it feels like, “What’s wrong with me?”
Sometimes it’s hard to recognize when we’re stuck, especially if we don’t want to see it. In our Embracing Change class, there’s a section about how to recognize the ten signs that it’s time to make a change. The information is powerful, so I knew I needed to be prepared to talk about this in the panel.
Going over these ten signs often makes people feel uncomfortable, especially when there’s a point that really hits home. Preparing for class, forced me to look over the list. Guess what? It made me feel uncomfortable. I could even feel it in my body.
Thankfully, I’m not surprised. I’ve already been doing a lot of soul-searching lately. Over the past year, working on my “core” has given me clarity, helping me see through the debilitating brain-fog of depression, I usually feel in the winter. I’m grateful for the vision.
Things around me feel like they’re changing fast. One of the most important things I’ve learned from the Embracing Change class is that being proactive to change is a much better place to be. From the Guiding Aging Parents class with co-teacher Katherine Ambrose, I’ve learned that there are more options when decisions are made before there’s a crisis.
I’m not sure what 2020 will hold, but I have a feeling it will be a year of big changes for all of us. I’m feeling empowered and excited about the changes I want to make in my life this year. While I’m not sure what that will look like right now, I know that everything will work out fine in the long run. It always has.
One change I’ve decided to make right away is the class schedule for February. I was planning to offer the Conversations of Color panel discussion on Saturday, February 1st, but I’ve decided to postpone it for a couple of reasons.
I’m organizing speakers for the Women’s March, which is just the week before on January 25th. (See details below.) We have an inclusive panel of women speaking at the March, and I hope you can hear what these dozen inspiring women have to tell us. Jenny Wood is performing too, so it will be a powerful experience.
The other reason I’m postponing Conversations of Color is that I’m putting Embracing Change in its place. I really need this class right now, and I know I’m not the only one. I’ve also changed the time of the Saturday classes. Rather than starting in the afternoon, we’re going to try starting at 10 am and finishing up at 12:30 pm. I hope this time of day works better for you.
So, rather than writing what I’d planned, this is what’s come out. When this happens, I try to go with it, believing in my toenails that someone else out there needed to hear it too. Whatever 2020 brings, we will see it through together.
Let’s get unstuck,
Headmistress Jill
Because We’re Never Finished
The Finishing School for Modern Women, located in Wichita, Kansas, offers classes to help women find their authentic selves; not because we need finishing, but because we’re never finished. We bring together women of all ages, to learn from experts and each other, how to claim our power in business, finance, communication, and life.
Learn More about our in-person and online classes
https://www.finishingschoolformodernwomen.com for our classes and free social membership.
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Phone: 316-841-8927 Email: jill@finishingschoolformodernwomen.com
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