Empty Office. Full Heart.

A 12-year relationship changed on a Friday afternoon in May. I resigned my position at Fusion Alliance as the VP of Digital Solutions and Marketing to start my own firm. It was a good 12 years and looking back I wished I had written more about it, but I didn't. So, here are a few gems that rattled around in my head as I was leaving the office on that Friday afternoon with the last car-full of books, gadgets and memories:

(1) Be courageous. As I was taking down my "found object" cork board in my office, I found a magnet that said "Do the thing you think you cannot do." Do it, because you can do it. Believe in yourself, do an appropriate level of planning (you'd have to ask my husband how much is "appropriate" because we have two very different scales) and then push forward. In the past several weeks since pushing forward, I've had beautiful conversations, received sweet encouragement, met new people and found some healthier rhythms. And the best part...being courageous isn't something I can check off my to-do list. It's something I get to keep doing every day.

(2) Be open. While I certainly have a vision and aspirations for my new company, the co-creation of the story up to this point has been quite a trip. It's true that two heads are better than one and I would offer that, at times, 10 are better than two. It has taken me a measure of humility to admit that I'm not 100% sure where I'm headed and that I need help. But what has come of telling people my story, being open to their input and accepting their offers to help has opened my mind up to a world of possibilities that I'm certain I wouldn't have found on my own. And you can ask my executive coach, but it takes a good 2 to 3 years for some ideas to sink into my head so I'm grateful that so many people are in this with me for the long haul.

(3) Be awesome. I have several good friends who are awesome. And they help other people (like me) be awesome too. The coolest part about striving to be awesome is that it attracts awesome - people who inspire and want you to be inspired, people who have deep passions and want you to be passionate, people who see things in a whole new light and want you to see things differently too. So I'll continue to strive for awesomeness and know that on the days that I'm barely able to be present that the other awesome people in the world will hold it together for all of us (and I'll do the same for them).

There are so many things, people and experiences to be grateful for over the last 12 years. And while I left an empty office, I have a full heart. What a blessing to have so many courageous, open and awesome people cheering me on! Thanks for everything!