Good Morning Sunshine

I have to thank LinkedIn for posting my 4 year Anniversary of TryFection in my news feed. Several people liked it and I even got a few congratulatory notes from my peers. Since I am a sucker for a guilt trip and I haven't written a post in a few years, I figured now is as good a time as any.

Why the silence?

I love having an outlet to express myself and that is exactly what TryFection is. It brings me so much joy to share the things I love with whoever pops in to listen. 2012 was definitely one of my most challenging years in every aspect of my life and having TryFection as a release was critical to my sanity:

• My heart broke over a job with a company I felt let me down but I also have to take responsibility that I failed to make it work
• I started a new job days later that provided all the challenges I longed for with the freedom to make the work my own, however the time commitment needed to succeed did not enable a work-life balance let alone time for blogging as the year progressed
• Pete and I faced the toughest challenge as parents we had yet to endure when the relationship with a school we adored fell apart and we realized how toxic the environment was to our children
• My dad battled stage 4 cancer

2013 and 2014 were a breath of fresh air:

• My dad was proclaimed cancer-free and hopefully I am not jinxing any future scans by cherishing that
• My kids thrived in their new schools, each found a group of wonderful friends, and you could actually see the growth of confidence in their faces and even their posture
• I achieved professional successes I had never experienced and my confidence grew leaps and bounds as well. I owe so much to my team.

It is so true, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger and Pete and I were as strong as we had ever been. It took every ounce of my time to grow personally and professionally and TryFection gathered dust.

In barges 2015…

Have you ever wished you could change everything in your life? I certainly never have. I was perfectly content. I loved our neighborhood, my career, our friends, closeness to our families... While nothing is perfect, it was everything I had ever wanted.

But then a professional opportunity knocked on my door. With Pete's support we decided it couldn't be passed up. I left a company filled with friends to start a new direction. I said good-bye to the agency world and entered the corporate side which also required a relocation almost 500 miles away from all our loved ones. We decided it would be easiest on our children if they finished the school year in Kentucky so I have begun our journey alone while Pete is flying solo holding down the fort.

I can honestly say I think it is going pretty well. I have to focus one day at a time and on the future. If I stop to think about what I am missing, I will have a breakdown. I am in a nice apartment and without anyone else to take care of I am putting all my energy into my new position, my health, and learning about our new home. While this has been an isolating experience, it has given me a once in a lifetime opportunity to devote a lot of time to reflect on my life.

I recently took a personality profile sort of test as a team building exercise and discovered I am yellow. I have taken a few of these in the past and while they are all pretty similar, this one was the most accurate by far. It was a little stunning to answer 20-ish questions and get back a full booklet with such deep insights on myself that couldn't be more true. It was almost creepy, actually.

Yellow is basically a free thinking optimist who needs constant stimulation and hates boring things, process and lots of data/facts to sift through. I am off the charts yellow. Here are some things in my report that deep down I have always known but never put it so simply and on paper from some computer-scary:

• warm, open, realistic and radiates optimism
• prepared to attempt almost anything
• enjoys socializing but likes to plan her entertainment for maximum effect
• seen by most others as friendly, practical, realistic and down-to-earth person
• may find it almost impossible to say no, even when the demands are unreasonable
• finds the diversity in the world immensely appealing
• has a tendency to want to procrastinate
• good at "reading" people and situations and will seldom be far wrong about the motivation or intent of another person (see, it's in writing)
• fiercely loyal to her friends
• prepared to sacrifice her own wants for the needs of others
• her home is a haven for people to have a good time
• proficient at alleviating the concerns of others
• may be prone to embellishing the truth
• rather self promoting and talkative (ya think?)
• may be perceived as too trusting
• may open her mouth and fall in (yes, but I can/have delivered many heart-felt apologies)
• her solutions may appear rather "off the wall" (which explains so many meetings in my past)

Anyway, I couldn't get over the details. This booklet was 20 pages of who I am and the only thing I could really argue was that it stated I would not be able to keep my commitments because I over-extend myself too much. In reality I will pull an all-nighter and have many times because I would rather die than fail to deliver.

I hope in 2015 I have time to spend on TryFection. I know I am one of many who uproot and re-root but I would love to share my experiences with you. Lord knows I could use the support. I hope to share the places I find, the tools and tips I learn about, and I know I owe recipes to a couple of you. With any luck, I may convince some of you to stop up for a visit and come play with us. As always, I thank each of you for your continued encouragement, friendship, love and support.

Always,