New Year, Same Me 🤸🏼‍♀️

Join me in NOT overthinking this year

Hello friend!

Welcome to the 25th issue of Inward Ventures, where I share what I’m working on and tinkering with. I offer thoughts and ideas that I encounter in my continuing quest for self-improvement, productivity, and education for myself and my coaching clients. I strive to excel in my writing, creativity, and, well… LIFE. Thanks for being here. Ok, let’s get down to brass tacks.

(Referred here by a friend or visiting my page? Subscribe here👇 THANK YOU!)

Rather than overthinking the whole dear god how do I revive my newsletter, I decided to simply type and then schedule to publish.

Ah, overthinking. Too bad it’s not a skill to choose from on LinkedIn, I’d pin it to my profile as one of my top 3 skills.

Honoring my commitment to NOT overthink: I will quickly update my comings and goings, hit schedule, and then close the laptop.

I’ve been busy. HELLA busy. Mostly good stuff, some not-so-good in the current moment, but I already know I’ll be able to look back on this time with a smile on my face, proud of who I am and what I’ve accomplished.

The newsletter didn’t fall by the wayside; I chose to box it up and put it on the shelf, knowing I’d get back to it sooner or later. And wouldntcha know, later is finally here/ I’m back living on the East Coast, in grad school full-time while working around and with family situations that have been challenging at times.

I say at times because I’ve been maintaining my meditation practice, journaling, and fitness practices throughout all of this.

When life gets crazy, I can either get crazy right back (that is ANOTHER top 3 skill right there) or choose my response. Again and again, I chose my responses:

• Not rushing to answer/decide to fill in an uncomfortable silence

• Deliberately choosing words that honor and reflect my intentions

• My self-care prescription of meditation, writing, and fitness comes first

• No is a complete answer

• Attempting to see an event through the eyes of another (wiser) person

Don’t get me wrong. I've cried, acted out, and said some dumb-ass shit, but I can only cringe thinking how bad it would have been if HADN'T consistently been focused and hit that Zen button again and again.

Back in the saddle

So it's time to get back in the saddle, here and in other parts of my life that I put on pause like:

• Acrylic painting

• Dance classes

• Hiking

But wait, there's more

There's more to share that will come in future newsletters: talking about my recovery from PTSD, my decision to go to grad school and resume working in corporate, real estate investing, turning Fifty years old, traveling again, and nosy people tryin’ to get all up in mah business (Nah, gonna take the high road and skip that LOL) This issue is already longer than I planned, so stay tuned!

I'm getting there.

I wrote in an email this week

The hardest part in all of this is remembering all the good shit I have learned and putting it into practice 😂

I'm getting there. 

Thanks for waiting for me 🥰 ~ Aileen

---

Whatchu got for me? Please hit reply to this email or comment below; I’ll gladly respond in more detail. As always, I promise to do whatever I can to be there for you and support you. HIT.ME.UP. I mean it! 🙌

Need an accountability partner? Writing (or working out or WHATEVER?) lemme know 😍 I trade daily word counts; it’s quick, fun, and motivating, I promise!

As always, THANK YOU ~ for reading, sharing, and commenting.