2014 Goals: November Update

On the plus side, life slowed down a bit. I'm done traveling for work, and while the outcomes of my 7 weeks on the road aren't quite what I was hoping - it feels good to have another fall recruiting season behind me. On the down side, we had another family death, a rude awakening that life is precious this month.

It's been hectic, but fantastic month catching up on the rest of life. Global Shapers work is picking up, we onboarded new members, and I'm plugged back into my neighborhood board, camp advisory committee, church, STLF committee, women's group at work, AND I'm half way through my 3rd annual Month of Thanks on Facebook. All things considered, life is good.

I've officially been at this 11 months, feels good to have kept myself accountable. Thanks for those that read and encourage me to keep writing.

Adventures for 2014

• Trying new forms of moving and exercising
• Qoya - no longer new, but a solid form of moving and exercising
• Walking to the bus feels new, A) it's happening again B) its cold, which has quickened the pace with which I walk
  
• Cooking for one (beyond pasta and eggs)
  Per my surrender last month...
• Cereal is a new staple - on my 3rd box of Special K Fruit and Yogurt 
• Hummus is also making a come back, with tortillas and wheat thins

• Practicing self-care
• New morning routine - is going relatively well
• Bought a plane ticket to Mexico

• Mixing different friend groups/life circles
• Many lives collided at Minnesota Social Impact Center launch event
• Mutual friend connections with Ecolab/Shapers and STLF/Ecolab
  
• Using paid time off
• Oaxaca trip over Thanksgiving - 2 days off = 6 day vacation!
• Carrying 3 days over to 2015

• Enjoying performance arts
• Went back to local comedy this month
  
• Achieving airline status 
• Also have status with Hilton and Marriott now. Official travel snob.

• Activating human drives
• Shapers, Friends, and Family are filling me up.
• Feeling at peace - might re-read The Charge soon to set 2015 goals.
  
• Keeping plants alive
• Super Plant is almost one. I should name him Herman, but I've always imagined it as female - her name is going to be Verna.
• Need to add some soil and potentially replant Verna :)

• Listening to music instead of watching TV
• The new Big Bang Theory and New Girl seasons win

• Thinking critically for fun
• Met with someone at Carlson for info on MBA ... baby steps
• Did strategic planning work with EPNI board

• Living values through time allocation
• Feeling really good about this - double booked most nights after work, which ensures I'm spending time doing things I love and not working every night. Can be physically tiring, but better aligned with values. 

Heavy Heart

Goodness gracious. For someone that tries to see the silver lining in every situation - the last 12 months have been quite the test. We lost another Schaefer (mom's family) this week. Unexpected, 47 years old.

Grandpa passing was tough, but there was some peace in that he would no longer suffer. He had lived a long, good life. Not easy, but I felt his services were really the celebration of the great man he was.

Steve passing was rough. We had 11 months after his diagnosis to prepare, but at the end of the day, he was still only 44... his boys are young. He was tough, but in this case, the cancer was unstoppable.

Tim passing was unexpected. 47. He went hunting the weekend before, to work that day, and was moving snow, like everyone else was after the storm. Unlike everyone else, he never made it inside afterward. It doesn't make sense. He recently walked his daughter down the aisle and welcomed his first grandchild into the world just 6 weeks ago. 5th generation photo was taken days before he died.

Death takes time to process, but the world doesn't stop moving forward. I didn't give myself time to process this week - instead went numb, Schaefer #3 in a year - makes you think, who's next? Asked my cousin how he was doing, he said, "well I woke up this morning." Little morbid, but it's been too frequent not to at least think it.  I sincerely hope this was the last one. At the wake, all I could say was, "this sucks" and hug family. Finally started feeling at the eulogy, when the eldest brother who had moved away said, "Tim - I wish we could have spent more time together. I'll miss you more than you know."

I'm an oldest sister. I moved away. I miss family events and time with my sisters to work, or travel. I always think, I'll see them soon. And so far, I've been fortunate that that has been the case.

And then the Fireman's Last Call ... brutal. I looked at his kids, mid-20s, they lost their dad. Forever. Nora had her grandpa for 6 weeks. I got to enjoy mine for 25 years. They didn't do anything to deserve this. It doesn't make sense. Can you possibly prepare for such an unexpected event? How do balance living each day like it's your last, and know that life is long. At 47, you could realistically have 20 years left or 50 years left, or in Tim's case, none. Steve didn't even make it to 45.

Here's my hope. I hope we continue to love and cherish our time together. I hope we find a way to keep memories from those who have passed in our hearts, so they continue to be with us although not physically. I hope we can focus on the good, and purpose driven areas of our lives, and not get caught up in the rat race that can consume us if we are not careful. And I hope that this was the end of tragic deaths for our St. Martin community. I hope that we each find peace, and a new normal.

Each of these men in our family were remembered for their service to our community, their dedication and love to family and friends, and living a full, happy life. I can only hope to be remembered for similar things one day, and in the meantime, use their example to make the world a better place.

Happy Heart

As another weekend winds down and I prepare for the week ahead, my heart is especially happy. I spent the weekend with 14 incredible individuals from the Minneapolis Hub of Global Shapers. It was the culminating event of a week full of catching up with my life post-travel, and while exhausting, exactly what I needed as we head into winter, darkness, and all that jazz.

While my fellow Shapers are always a joy to be around, this weekend we welcomed new members to our group and once again connected in a more meaningful and intentional way than our typical meetings. I know the most amazing people. It has inspired me during this month of thanks and gratefulness, to connect in meaningful and intentional ways in other facets of my life as well.

Both throughout this week and weekend, I had an opportunity to reconnect with several people - in addition to learning about them, I always re-learn things about myself...like:

• I love to talk about ideas, work, dreams, and the world. I don't love sharing vulnerable topics.
• My default is taking care of logistics and facilitation vs participating.
• I love Minneapolis, the city and people in it continue to amaze me.
• My family and rural community will always be a big part of my life, no matter how far I travel, or how different my life may look/feel on the outside.
• People are the best - I am fascinated and excited by people and their stories.
• Getting involved in STLF was one of my better decisions in life. The things I learned and people involved in that organization continue to show up in big ways in my life.
• Continuous improvement is how my brain operates. I am rarely fully present or appreciative of what is and happened unless I force myself to stop/pause, focus and reflect.
• I was born into and experience extreme privilege, and need to find outlets to live up to my highest potential and purpose by helping, supporting, and sharing joy with others.

I am a work in progress, but life is good.