New Year, Same Me?

    It seems like everyone online has the same sentiment about this new year and it's that we are all going into it VERY cautiously. If 2020 taught us anything, it is better for us to go in to it nervously optimistic. My friend asked me today what my New Year's Resolution was and all I could think about was the goal I set for myself for 2023. To live authentically as myself and stand more confidently in my purpose. I never invested into figuring out what my purpose was. I always went from one thing to the next, just to say that I was doing something. From 15 to 26 I went from job to job, just trying to figure out what stuck and to be honest, I didn't even care if it stuck. My only focus was that the next job made more than the last, the idea of doing something I truly loved for the rest of my life was never even a thought. Isn't that sad?

    We are so conditioned to just get a job and keep a job, but who is really asking us what our passion is? What makes you the happiest and how can you make money doing that? What industry do you really resonate with and want to learn more about? These will be the questions I ask my kids, so they don't fall down the same rabbit hole that I did. I worked at an after school program, internships, waitressed, worked in workers' comp, and countless other 'side jobs' whenever anyone offered. I just wanted to work, but it never left me as fulfilled as the work I am doing now. Everything in my life now is aligned with exactly who I am and who I have always been, and I LOVE THAT FOR ME. I just hate that it took me so long to get here.

    I have struggled with confidence issues my whole life. Constantly hiding who I really was with fear of not fitting in or just sticking out too much. (I am already tall, so to me I stood out enough!) This is the year that I stand in who I am, proudly. A little over a year ago I stepped out on faith and started Marie Management and although it hasn't always been easy, it has been so fulfilling. This business has been what I have been working towards my whole life and I didn't even realize it. The freedom, the fulfillment, THE HAPPINESS I get from it has made me want to live authentically in all areas of my life. Why keep running for what God has for me? Why keep running from the person that I already know I am?

Little Shannon would be proud.