Coffee Dates

There are some things I am good at and some things, I'm not.  Being a great friend and making the time for my friends is one of my goals for early 2014 and something I really, really, really want to improve.

My super power, I've discovered, is connection.  So, without these amazing friends in my life, how will I honor it?

Thus, I'm on a coffee date tour.  Actually, it doesn't have to just be coffee - lunch, hiking, crafting - those are all good activities to rally around and spend time with my friends. So far, I've....

• Had coffee with Jennifer S.
• Had coffee via Skype with Susan from Crafterhours
• Had coffee with the Starbucks queen, Cathy
• Had lunch with my coaching friends in person
• Had a crafting day with the Higgins Family
• Had a Facetime lunch with Jenn in California
• Had tea with Jesse, the statue, one impromptu afternoon
• Had coffee with Mr. UpCyclist and Randy one impromptu morning
• Had coffee via Facetime with lifetime BFF, Cindy

My goal is ten coffee dates.  I'm up to nine with the two impromptu ones.  I have four more on the books - Carey, Shannon, Erin, and Courtney.  I've only been stood up once.  Ha!  She is soooo embarrassed - I won't mention any names.  And, I have a few more thoughts about who I've been neglecting.  Actually, the list is pretty long.  

Then, there's this question:  Why didn't I start this sooner?  These people - these friends - totally fuel my soul and I hope I do the same for them.

xoxo,

Jen

My Teacher for Brave

Since my word for 2014 is Brave.  I will need a good teacher to guide me.  Actually, I will need many teachers.  This lil teacher lives right in my house.  How grateful I am to see the word Brave come alive everyday right in front me.

Brave to try new things.  Brave to speak her mind when she is wronged.  Brave to be selective about with whom she spends her time.  Brave to push the status quo.

I think all humans are brave from birth and then somewhere along the line - maybe to fit into our families, society's norms, or the boredom of some schools - we lose our bravery and calibrate to complacency.  The addiction of the status quo ensues.

There is nothing brave about living the status quo if you know you are capable of so much more.  If you know you want more.

This quote I shared in November comes to mind again.....

I'm grateful for all the teachers who will show me Brave in many unique ways.  I'm especially grateful for this lil teacher pictured above in our place in Breckenridge.  She's the epitome of Brave to me.

All my best,

Jen

My Word for 2014

I'm not usually a "word of the year" type of girl.  But, this year, words were calling me.

Nurture, enhance, brave, messy, joy, do, courage, explore.

As I was sharing my list with Lil O, she said, "Brave seems like your word, Mom."  I didn't realize I seem like a word to anyone.

Interestingly, however, I was thinking the same thing.  How will I nurture, enhance my life, be messy, seek joy, do all the things I want to do, have courage and explore the unknown?  I will have to be brave.

And thus, my word for 2014 is Brave.  It keeps capitalizing itself and just 20 days into the year, I've already taken several significant steps to honor it.

More to come tomorrow,

Jen