Margery's Note....
A new year is a good time to do a reset….
To rethink things and get our minds moving forward….
And to let go of things that are in the way of that progress….
Ah, the wisdom of age! In order to accommodate all the aches and pains that come with an aging body, I find it really helps to have a positive attitude and embrace the hard-earned wisdom I have accumulated. If you’re a lot younger, it may seem like this is a little unrealistic, but just give it a go and see if any of these ideas fit.
I now really understand the concept of “don’t sweat the small stuff!” I used to spend a lot of time literally obsessing over things that didn’t go the way I intended. Looking upside down and sideways to figure out how I could have done it differently. The fact is, I didn’t! So take the loss and move on has become a way of life for me. Yes, I am more cautious, but beating up on myself for being a trusting person and making mistakes didn’t help either.
“All good things in good time” is an expression I learned in my twenties. Today I truly see what it means. I can relax and let things move in a much more natural way. Sometimes what we desire takes a long time to show up! And sometimes, by taking a long time to show up, it doesn’t even happen, and then we get to see that it wasn’t actually necessary in the first place. So once again, I let it go. Much less stressful!
How much money is enough? For those of us who do not come from inherited wealth and have striven diligently to provide for ourselves, at some point we need to relax and reassess. Is making money really the most important thing? Or can we appreciate what we have achieved and get much more comfortable with what we have? I have come to see that my true wealth is my health and the family and friends I am surrounded by. Also, being a good steward of whatever I have keeps me from feeling I lack anything!
How can we best maintain our health? I have learned the hard way that doing things from a “should” instead of a “love to” basis affects my health in the worst way! And even when I have things to do that don’t sound very appealing, I find a way to love them enough to minimize stress and flow through the experience more easily. That could be anything from cleaning up the kitchen after a big event when I may feel too tired to do it, or working up my financial reports when necessary. I look for a way to enjoy doing them by seeing what the benefit is. Yes, you say, I’m a Pollyanna—but it works for me!
And secondly, about maintaining my health, when I have an inkling that something doesn’t feel quite right, I address it immediately! I have created a panel of experts for my physical well-being and my mental needs. I have a Primary Care doctor who checks my blood work each year along with all kinds of other tests, and a Naturopath that I see on a very regular basis to make sure I’m taking the right supplements, plus a great Cardiologist who checks me every 6 months to monitor that the 5 stents I have are doing their job. Yes, that is a lot to deal with, but the good side is that I take minimal prescriptions and mostly supplements—keeping me feeling healthy and lively.
And I do my best to keep MOVING! I was in a really bad car crash when I was 18 and still have all kinds of difficulties stemming from that: traumatic arthritis being the worst of it. But with my panel of experts, I keep trying new things to alleviate pain, that also increase my vitality. And I learned early on that a high pain tolerance goes a long way to keeping me going. Things like pain remedies are only used when absolutely necessary. The rest of the time I try to find natural ways to manage pain—like resting more, finding enjoyment in life, doing some work I love, etc. As Napoleon Hill said, the only thing “the Creator” gave us complete control over is our mental attitude. And I try to keep mine positive no matter what!
I hope these ideas give you some things to think about as we enter this next year. And I hope that you also know your involvement with Great Girls Network has been perhaps more nourishing for me than even for you! Giving women a place to be completely open and honest about their lives and be supported for it has been one of the greatest joys of my life.
Thank you and Happy New Year!!!
Member Notes
Thank you to Toni Portmann for sharing these quotes:
“And it dawned on me that I might have to change my inner thought patterns… that I would have to start believing in possibilities that I wouldn’t have allowed before, that I had been closing my creativity down to a very narrow, controllable scale… that things had become too familiar and I might have to disorientate myself.”
― Bob Dylan, Chronicles, Volume One P. 71
O how I laugh when I think of my vague indefinite riches. No run on my bank can drain it, for my wealth is not possession but enjoyment.
HENRY DAVID THOREAU
Track Meetings
We still ask for $5 to cover costs. And yes, you can register at the last minute…. but it would be GREAT if you let us know a couple of days before so we can plan our refreshments!!!
Our Track meetings are designed to give us a sacred space to have meaningful, purposeful conversations without fear of being judged or competed with. Only Members can attend. They are amazing experiences, unlike any ‘networking meeting’ you have ever attended!
GGN members MUST REGISTER to attend these meetings, so just follow the links below! And if you want to learn about us, go ahead and join GGN~~if you decide it isn’t for you, we will refund your membership fee!
Currently we meet the 2nd Monday morning and 3rd Wednesday evening of each month (see below).
Each one is an event or happening in itself. Some members come frequently, some come only once in a while. Whenever you attend one, you will find out things you didn’t know, connect with women who will challenge and inspire you, and you will leave with some new perspectives.
Monday Morning Magic Track
- January 8, 2024
- 10 am to noon CT
- The best way to start the year—with Great Girls!
Click here to join us for Monday Morning Magic!
Growth & Transitions
- Wednesday, January 17, 2024
- 7 to 9 pm CT
- Time to get your groove on and maybe see things a little differently?
Become a Member!
Great Girls Network is our way of being the opposite of the Good Ol’ Boys Network (which is still very much alive and well!). Even if you don’t participate in Track meetings, your membership gives you a way to support our existence and be a part of a growing group of women who really appreciate each other. And the Trii-Annual Gatherings are unlike any other “networking” event! We know women don’t network like men. We want to build relationships, we want deeper, more meaningful connections. That is exactly what GGN provides.
Our membership fee of $50 per year gives you access to our Track Meetings and also contributions to our Newsletter. The fee helps sustain our website, but it also ensures that when you participate in a Track meeting, you will honor the sacredness of the conversations because you are a member.
We created a digital card that helps people understand what they can get from joining GGN so click here to see the card.
Your membership helps give us that foundation, the strength to grow and have an impact on the lives of so many more women.
