2021: New Year, New Adventure

Welcome to 2021! A few months ago, I wrote about finding a healthy balance, but did I mention adding another adventure into an already hectic schedule? It wasn’t a plan then, but you just never know what is going to happen in life, do ya?

The 50s has been an interesting decade so far, and I realize there has been a lot of growth for me. After spending so many years happily putting my children first, the time came for me to start exploring new ideas and figure out what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. Yes, it became about me.

Almost three years ago, I started this blog with the idea of writing an autobiography. While I have shared a good part of my life, a book became complicated. But it’s all good! As my daughter, Christine told me – You have plenty of years left, and who knows what the future will bring!

Then, about 15 months ago, I started working in a school as an aide, which has been a wonderful experience. It feels great to get out of bed early in the morning, put on make-up, and get dressed in something besides leggings and sweats. Besides that, I love kids and realizing I am not smarter than a 5th grader so learning right along with them.

A more recent adventure was diving into essential oils. I am educating myself on alternatives to medications and a more holistic approach to life, and again, I am loving it! It feels great to use my brain and soak in new knowledge. Well, those essential oils lead me to yet another escapade … an Etsy Shop!

Am I crazy?

Maybe … but what have I got to lose? I am already gray, the wrinkles are plentiful, and I seem to survive on 6 hours of sleep, so what the heck. I should be exhausted, but my adrenaline is pumping! It feels great NOT to be afraid to try these new adventures. People are thinking of retiring at my age, and here I am working 50+ hours a week.

What am I thinking by adding more social media to my life?! I must be crazy … but I am not doing it alone! My oldest and one of my dearest friends, Patty, is my partner.

Our Story

Because everyone has a story, right?  Patty and I have known each other since high school and are going on over 40 years of friendship.  In over 4 decades, we have never lived more than a mile or two apart, except for one year, when Patty moved to California.  Of course, I went to visit, and we have some entertaining stories to tell, but what great friendship doesn’t?   We have been through marriages, divorces, and years of child-rearing together while volunteering for the same entities. 

Ten years ago, when my son had leukemia, I first learned about essential oils.  About a year ago, I developed a great interest in essential oils after trying them and experiencing the benefits firsthand.  When Covid-19 hit, I had the time to really dive in and made a conscious effort to further my desire to live as naturally as possible instead of relying on medications for sleep and anxiety.  From there I experimented on my kids and started introducing my friends to the benefits of aromatherapy.  One of those friends was Patty.  

Patty, being more crafty than myself, not only loved the oils, but she started experimenting and making all sorts of lotions and potions.  She shared her fun and knowledge with me and another friend and we started a little oil club.  We would get together and make sprays, rollers, and lotions until one day Patty said, “We should make and sell these products, everyone will love them!”  As we both need to make extra income to further reduce the stress even more than the oils already do, we got to work. 

That was in October and now, here we are!  Although our friend wasn’t able to be involved, she is supporting and helping us as well as the rest of our friends.  That’s where this all started … 40 years ago with a friendship and that’s where it continues … with friends and family helping and advising, women supporting women, and hopefully growing to further our framily bond for years to come. 

Is she crazy?

Maybe … why would she want to be in business with a pain in the butt, anal, perfectionist like myself. But for me, who better to partner with than the friend who knows and loves you just the way you are. The one who will ignore you when the obsessive-compulsive, anal-retentive part of me kicks in. I am not always like that, but give me a challenge – and that side of me is out in full force!

So what’s the moral of this story?

It’s never too late to try new adventures!! Any day is a good day to start a new career or attempt to achieve a lofty goal. Patty and I are throwing our hats into the growing ring of women in business. 2020 taught me that you never know what is going to happen from one day to the next, so what are we waiting for? Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought we would have spent the last year living like a Stephen King novel, but we did.

What are you going to do about it?

I know what I plan on doing – shoot for the moon in 2021 – all while hopefully still maintaining that healthy balance. To do that, chances are I will not be back with a story for a few weeks. Time is needed to get this adventure off the ground, and most importantly, continuing to enjoy my beautiful mess before it’s empty again in February. Oh … and those two lovebirds who moved back into my nest and made that mess – got engaged!!

2021 is bringing me a new adventure, a new son-in-law, and all of us, a new vaccine. The song playing in my head right now … the future’s so bright, I’ve got to wear shades!

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Still working on some tweaks, but check out the shop!

Wishing you all love, health, and lots of new memories in the New Year,

Sandy

#enlgithen #empower, #inspire, #educate, #BeKind and #liveyourlife