I love the month of September! It is a 30 day period of time that I think of as a period of reevaluating what does and does not make my heart sing. September is the month I say to my burdens, “Au revoir.” It is the first month of fall so I think of myself as a tree shedding unwanted leaves with the intent of reblooming with newness in the Spring.
I give myself time to break old habits, make changes and forge ahead with new and even daring thoughts. Remember, life is what we make it and change is difficult. September is not the month for excuses. It is time to fire up your engine with a game plan, never using fear or age as a roadblock and believing you will reap what you sow.
Decisions. Decisions. Decisions. It is not an easy task to get from here to there when you are stymied. I am in the midst of that. I say to myself because I am so positive, “Life is either a daring adventure…or nothing.”
My Story
Eight years ago I started writing because I was bored with my busyness. I have no regrets. Over the course of time, I have jumped over a minimum of a million and one hurdles. And, I could write a book and I may, who knows. Ask Susan Berman Hammer who has been with HoneyGood.com since day one. She knows. Through a multitude of tears, disappointments, and frustration over running a company, I have never wanted to stop what I am doing. Why? Because I have bloomed into the woman I am today and I am happy. How did I learn?
Authenticity
I learned because the stories I wrote were always authentic. Over a period of years without knowing it I was analyzing myself. So all the buckets of tears I shed trying to learn technology, all the disappointments that shocked me from people who worked for me, all the long hours I worked and plowed through problems, the lost hours of sleep, and missing out on spending time with girlfriends are a drop in the bucket to what I gained.
I am passionate when I say to you, “When you hear your passion calling, seek it out.” You can get from here to there. I believe in wishing upon a star and making your dreams come true. After all, it has to start somewhere so why not in the month of September?
My Friend Gwen
Today, I ran into Gwen. I had not seen her in years. She approached me with a question because she is now at the age of eighty-two or more and a first-time author! She wrote a children’s book that is now sold in Target, Amazon, and other private and large box stores! Gwen is filled with enthusiasm! She is like a kid in a candy store! And, she talked non-stop. I felt her adrenaline pumping and then I felt mine mirror hers. We had a marvelous experience and conversation. Before leaving me she said, “I am waiting for a call from my PR person in New York! Bye.”
One of her friends asked her, “Why are you writing a book and giving up your bridge games that are so stimulating? Why aren’t you spending time socializing with your friends?” Gwen told me why. She had done that and no longer found it stimulating. It was not a reason to live. She was finally experiencing authentic success and getting a sweet taste of honey. I am sure we will have lunch together and never stop talking. And finally one of us will say, “Who’s on first!”
Authentic Success
Darling, I believe this is a key to happiness over 50. I call it authentic success because it is genuine. It is having the time to pursue personal pursuits that bring pleasure into your life and never having to say to yourself, “Next year.”
Personal pursuits can be so many different things but mainly it is having a contented heart and peace of mind. It is knowing you are living your life your way and feeling happy and content within yourself. Amen.
My Situation
It took nine months of stress to find a boutique company to help me rebrand Honey Good and build a new website. I was met with unimaginable disappointments, roadblocks, and most importantly not feeling in sync with those companies that wanted to work with me.
I finally reached out to a young woman who had worked for me. I respected her advice and knew she would not lead me purposely astray. I was correct. She introduced me to the company that fit my needs and theirs to perfection, that is if there is such a word in business. You see, I am finally learning!
Everything is in place, the contract is going to be signed on Monday or Tuesday and Honey Good will be on her way to new heights for her readers.
Bombs Dropped
And then… three bombs dropped. One expected. My editor who has been with me for over two and one-half years gave me a two weeks notice. My head of sales gave me notice the same day as my editor! She and her husband decided it is incumbent upon her to homeschool their four children 13 years and younger. She will stay by my side for a month. Then my social media editor, just out of college, wants a raise! I thought of Chicken Little, “The sky is falling!”
This was a perfect time of reflection. I asked myself, “Should I close the window on this passage of my life?” I lost sleep over it. So what else is new!
Honey Good has filled my life with abundance. Abundant success is feeling so gratified for the many blessings bestowed upon me from the many women who read and write to me, the lessons I have learned, and the pride I feel within. My heart is overflowing. What more can I ask for? Nothing. Honeywood will prevail better than ever. Stay tuned.
Have you experienced abundant success? Please share with me in the comments at the bottom of this page. I want to hear from you!
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Don’t leave, Honey. I would miss your positive reinforcing words of wisdom and exciting new ideas daily. I’ve been following you for years. Hang in there. As for me: I’ll be 89 next month. Last year I moved from my wonderful senior community in New Jersey–after living there for seventeen years and participating in various activities, especially as a volunteer writer for our local newspaper–to far-away Texas to be close to a family member. It was time, but the move itself was difficult. I hung in there and found I am getting used to this new upscale environment. I’ve hung on to improving my writing skills as the University where I once lived has a program called Stockton Center on Successful Aging: SCOSA. The faculty allowed me to continue to interact with the group of aging memoir writers by email. This program and its members have sustained me during this adjustment along with your positive affirmation I read each day. Thank you again.
I am overwhelmed at your fortitude and attitude. Age is just a number. Right? You are a role model My stories have not been up every day as of late because Honey Good is going through a transition.Hang in there if you noticed my stories are not up daily. I will be back full time very soon. My Editor left and I am in the throws of hiring a new person to take her place! I am not going anywhere! I am like you. A survivor with a positive attitude. Good for us!!! Right? Warmly, Honey
Twenty years ago, on September 11th, our lives changed forever and changed yearly. How do I make a long story short? We lived in Boston; my husband was president of a software company, and I was an interior designer with my own company. He had a standing Tuesday morning appointment with AT&T in the WTC, staying Monday nights in the Marriot Hotel. Because of a meeting attendee’s mother passing overnight, canceling the AT&T meeting, my husband left for the airport before the planes crashed. For the next five years, he questioned why fate had spared him. His work slowly left him empty and wanting something different, fulfilling, and made a difference. Our youngest was in his final year of college, and we were soon to be empty nesters. He sold his company and went back to school to acquire the education credits needed to be a teacher. We downsized and moved to Utah to be closer to our daughter. I replaced myself at my business, left everything in my business partner’s hands, and found work in SLC. My husband became a Math teacher and went on to earn a Masters’s in Educational Design. I retired after 6 1/2 years at the company and was unhappy with the Interior Design direction, so I, too, entered the world of education as a Literacy Specialist. After 10 years in Utah, we moved to ATL to be near our young grandchildren. We built our home -upsized a bit to accommodate our new family life- and here we are three years later! We still teach, and I get the privilege of taking the grands to school with me. We shed a life that no longer fit us to find purpose and passion …and it makes our hearts sing!
I have goose bumps reading your story. What a role model you are to your children, grandchildren and the young people you teach. How lucky they are and most importantly…how lucky both of you are, because you found your purposes and passions and mastered them making your dreams come true. I understand why your hearts are singing.I am smiling. Warmly, Honey
I sure hope you continue Honey Good. I enjoy reading it every day. Some articles may not pertain to me, but other one hit me hard. I love it! 5hank you and may God bless you.
And may God Bless you. I am not going anywhere!!!! You are stuck with me! Warmly, Honey
I hope you will consider removing your term
“Darlings” from your writing. I enjoy your articles and find some helpful but am so turned off by your constant use of the word “darlings” and “my concierge”. Speaking as a widow who list my mate 5 years ago, I find it off putting. I prefer nig to be reminded constantly of my loss. Sorry, that’s the way I see it.
I hope you will take these remarks as constructive and helpful for your future musings. Its not my intention to be mean.
I do take your comment constructively. I will stop using Darling. It is difficult to stop using the name ultimate concierge because he is my husband. I do understand how you feel. I was widowed. I am glad you feel you can be open with me. I respect you. Warmly, Honey
I am a young 50+ woman and I can’t even remember where I stumbled upon your blog but I absolutely love it and have been reading it all summer! You speak to so many issues I find myself facing now that I am approaching those empty nest days. I find your writing to be so uplifting, informative and inspirational! I am an elementary school teacher so I also find September to be a fantastic time for renewal and as I tell my kiddos…you are on the right track…keep up the great work!!! I do hope you keep up your blog!
Take Care,
Patti
Thank you for the compliment. I am very happy you find my musings up lifting. I see my problems as grey. Fixable!!! I am going to keep up my blog! Very warmly, Honey