This week marks my first anniversary of being self-employed. A year ago, I walked away from a perfectly good job as a director in a non-profit organization. The job wasn’t horrible (in fact, in many ways it was very good), but it was time to go. I could feel it. It was time to write, teach, inspire, speak, and follow some vague dream of being an entrepreneur.
Sometimes I forget how far I’ve come. Sometimes I feel like I should have accomplished more, earned more money, etc., etc. And yet, when I take stock, I realize I’ve done a lot this year.
In the past year I have:
– launched this website
– traveled to Ontario where I spent an amazing few days sharing stories with a circle of incredible women under the guidance of my favourite mentor, Christina Baldwin
– started teaching in the University of Winnipeg’s Professional Development program, taught 4 classes, and signed up for another 6 classes and 3 seminars in the coming months
– gathered the wisdom of 21 people and compiled a free e-book about the emergence of feminine wisdom
– launched my newsletter, gathered an email list of over 650 people, and sent out 10 newsletters
– did some freelance writing work for a few different clients, mostly focused on international development work
– took an art class
– worked with a few Story Midwife clients who are writing diverse and fascinating books
– worked with a few Transition Guide clients who are seeing new things emerge in their lives
– conducted video interviews with a number of leadership thought leaders about their three words for Change for Good, an ALIA initiative
– created an e-workshop on How to Lead with your Paint Clothes on
– hosted an online learning circle for emerging leaders who were learning to lead with their paint clothes on
– conducted an in-person workshop on How to Lead with your Paint Clothes on
– developed a lot of amazing friendships online
– turned 45
– created A Path for Wanderers and Edge-walkers, a 12 week e-course that includes interviews with 12 amazing wanderers
– completed the first draft of my memoir – a story of transformation, faith, and my stillborn son
– traveled to Columbus, Ohio to immerse myself in the powerful circle of people that is the ALIA community, and to serve on the harvesting and story-hosting teams
– conducted a series of interviews with fascinating people on letting go of the ground and learning to trust in the transformation process
– compiled the wisdom of 26 writers into a free e-book on Writing to Impact Change
– walked hundreds of kilometres all over my city in training for the Kidney March
– helped Cath Duncan raise over $17,000 for Kidney research through the Kidney Raffle
– was featured on the front cover of my local newspaper
– traveled to Calgary, Alberta and walked 100 km with Cath Duncan and Christina Greenway in the Kidney March
– spent some quality time with my family in a cottage by a lake
– wrote and released an e-book on engaging in social media in a meaningful and mindful way
– created a course on Creative Writing for Self-Discovery and started teaching a delightful circle of people
– gathered a circle of creative entrepreneurs in my city
It’s been a great year, full of interesting possibilities, fascinating people, creativity, learning, growing, and transformation. It’s a good life, all in all.
I wouldn’t say that self employment is for everyone (there have been a lot of stressful days when I wasn’t sure what I was doing or where the money would come from), but it sure has been a fun ride for this edge-walker and wanderer!