Rediscovery: A Review of June 2012

This year, I am being more intentional about reflecting on my life and work. How else will I know if I’m making progress on the goals, dreams and opportunities I have for myself? I loved doing my annual review of 2011 (here are the questions I used for that), so now I’ve committed to doing a review of each month of the year as well.

Here, I present a brief review of the sixth month of 2012, starting with a word that captures the essence how I spent the month of June: REDISCOVERY.

This is some of what I did last month, personally and professionally.

• I started taking a six-week poetry workshop at WriterHouse here in Charlottesville. I also took a half-day travel writing seminar! Through these experiences, I’ve really been able to rediscover my love for writing, not just blogging. The love of literature and the written word. Writing for writing’s sake, not for marketing or branding for my business. And it feels sooo good. In the words of Randolph Duke, “Mortimer, we’re back!” (Major cool points to whoever can name that movie reference.)
• I did one paid speaking engagement in June: at an emerging arts leaders conference in San Antonio, Texas. I love the respect for history and food in Texas, so it was nice to visit there for the second time. I had a fantastic lunch at Acenar (fish veracruz and cilantro rice), which I highly recommend if you’re ever in San Antonio!
• I decided to spend a month in Europe! This is probably THE scariest decision I’ve made in 2012 so far. I’ll be travelling alone to Greece, Italy and Spain from August 7 to September 4, 2012. And hopefully documenting my journey here on the blog!
• I met The Pianist. He’s the first man I’ve ever met that’s just as optimistic (if not more) about life as I am. What I am (re)learning from him is that telling people how you really feel is not a weakness, it’s a strength. And that the best things in life are still free.
• My sister started talking to me again, albeit sporadically. I was able to practice offering support from afar (which usually means texting with her), without judgment. I was able to offer my love without jumping in to try to solve her problems. My new mantra for our relationship: Everyone has to feel empowered to make their own choices. Let people make their own mistakes and love them in the process of picking up the pieces.
• I ate a lot of pizza and ice cream. I sat in the sunshine and listened to live jazz. I wrote poems and drank rum. I listened to myself.
  

I chose the word REDISCOVERY because in June, I felt like I was looking in the mirror at myself every day and affirming the woman I’ve always wanted to be. Financially, it wasn’t the best money month because I didn’t do as much marketing and networking as I usually do. I spent a lot of time just being. And I think it did me a lot of good.

What I want to experience in July 2012 is a feeling of commitment to who I really am – the loving, creative, free-spirited Rosetta that looks back at me in the mirror of my bathroom in Charlottesville. I want this to look like continuing the process of marketing myself as a freelance writer, blogger and author. I want this to look like more music, more adventure and more romance.

What ONE word would you use to describe your experience of June 2012? What do you want to experience in July 2012?

If you choose to answer this question as part of a review on your own blog, please go ahead and post the link in the comments so we can read it! I would love to hear how your year is progressing so far.

If you want to join the July 2012 edition of the 31 Days to Reset Your Life Challenge, you may still do so here. As soon as you sign up, you will receive the first assignment in the program! Or, you can just buy the workbook, which gives you all the exercises in one place, with worksheets so you can work at your own pace. PLEASE NOTE: July 2012 will be the LAST month you will be able to participate in the 31 Day Reset program for free! The official book version will be released in August

In case you missed them, here are all the posts I wrote on the blog last month. Thank you, as always, for reading and sharing.

• Have You Given Up On Your Childhood Dream?
• Say Yes If You Mean Yes
• How Poetry Saved My Life
• The Truth About Time
• One Year Later: My Summer Self Care Plan

• Connection: A Review of January 2012
• Uncertainty: A Review of February 2012
• Whole: A Review of March 2012
• Honesty: A Review of April 2012
• Clarity: A Review of May 2012