Transitions and Possibilities for 2021 and Beyond

Things seem to be changing rapidly in many parts of life in our society right now, and this holds true for my journey with Women Living in Community. 

In the last few months, some new possibilities have opened up for educating people about aging in community through our network, thanks in part to some successful projects in 2020 and the use of Zoom. 

Before I take on any new projects or technical hurdles though, I want to get clear on where I’m heading and what makes sense to focus on next.

So, I’ll be taking some time over the upcoming months to step back and give everything an honest assessment. 

Looking back…

Despite the pandemic, or perhaps because of it, I feel like 2020 brought me closer to the women in our network than I’ve been in a long time. And, as you can probably relate, this involved plenty of time on Zoom. 

Prior to the pandemic, I had organized a number of in-person workshops based on my guidebook, Your Quest for Home. 

But this fall, I offered an online class based on my guidebook over Zoom for the first time in response to COVID. 

This wound up including a great group of people, some of whom are still meeting to support each other on their community building projects. 

I also found myself inspired to start doing live weekly videos of my own for a time that were primarily shared on our Facebook page. 

These videos allowed me to share some of my own experiences as they relate to finding or building the right community. It was also fun to bring out my alter ego The Grand Nudge a couple of times.

Continuing to Learn…

The more experimenting I did with online video, the more I discovered just how much there was to learn and how excited (and terrorized)  I was to learn more and dive in. 

I’ve spent the last year studying and doing training on the technology and presentation chops needed to let me share my knowledge and expertise online effectively. 

My interest in expansion and personal growth also brought me to a course called Modern Elder Academy. Although I’ve always hated the use of the term “elderly,” I found that their take on the term “modern elder” really hit home:  It is defined by MEA as:

“A Modern Elder is the perfect alchemy of curious and wise, with curiosity leading to expansive inquiry while wisdom distills what’s essential. But it’s only through cultivating our wisdom, building emotional intelligence, strengthening intergenerational collaboration, and finding a deeper meaning in our work and personal lives, that we become modern elders.”

MEA is a place we can all “grow whole, not old.” 

I REALLY like that.

Other turning points…

Pretty much all of my educational materials point back to my guidebook, Your Quest for Home, in some way, and it’s been almost 6 years since it was published. 

While I am certain that the book is more relevant than ever now, I’ve been asking myself whether some sections should be tweaked or expanded. So it may be time to turn my attention to a second edition in the future. We shall see.

In other transition news, my right hand person, Todd, is moving on. He has been responsible for a lot of what happens behind the scenes with Women Living in Community. 

Thanks to Todd for technology help, marketing prowess, writing chops, and keeping the lights on. Forever grateful. 

So… what is next? I continue to learn and hope to help you in new and fresh ways to take action to know yourself as you continue Your Quest for Home. 

Until next time, remember, finding your ideal community for your later years is all about three things: Connection, Information and Action!