Well, here we are again, saying goodbye to another year. I would say that 2015 was not the best year for me, but not the worst year either. 

For the past several years I have done some “Year in Review” posts reflecting on happenings and accomplishments, and outlining goals for the New Year. I went back and read my post from last year, “2014 Year in Review: Looking Back and Moving Forward,” and overall I did a pretty good job with what I outlined for 2015, coming up short really in just one area: Location (I wrote, “One of my hopes is to relocate somewhere other than where I currently reside. I have one specific locality in mind, but am leaving my options open”). For a whole host of reasons that did not happen, and so it stays on the list for 2016.

I am grateful for many blessings in both my personal and professional life. In 2015 I traveled a lot. I had plenty of opportunities to speak about genealogy to wonderful groups in Salt Lake City, Indianapolis, Fountain Hills Arizona, Pittsburgh, Connecticut, and Iowa. I also presented a number of webinars and coached family history writers in two Genealogy Writing Intensives. I wrote my tenth book (I can’t say much about it because it has not yet been officially released by the publisher, but it is on genealogy and a subject I enjoy writing and teaching about). I worked hard in 2015 and I anticipate doing more of the same in 2016, but with one big change:  I am choosing myself!

What exactly does that mean? Well, I recently read a book called Choose Yourself! by James Altucher and it really opened my eyes. It talks about how we’re all suffering from “post-societal traumatic stress disorder.” The global economy has shifted and society is changing and we need to be able to make that shift to succeed. The basic premise is to shake off what we are taught–that “we are not good enough” and about having the confidence to make things happen for yourself, not waiting around for things to come to you, and not asking permission. There is so much in this book about exploring our creativity and using our entrepreneurship muscles. 

And, this is exactly what I want to do in 2016. I am not being selfish when I say this (trust me, anyone who knows me well knows that I am not a selfish person–this is evidenced in the fact that I spent 14 years as a primary caregiver for my parents during major illnesses, making many personal sacrifices and passing up a number of professional opportunities. And I have no regrets–I would do it all again in a heartbeat). But it is time for me to make some real changes in how I live and work.  

A few areas I will be working on include:

• Downsizing my physical living space and possessions.
• Choosing work that fulfills me rather than just taking on any project or doing work for little or no payment, or that doesn’t fit my current business model. 
• Focusing more on my own writing (including more posts to this blog) and self-publishing 
• Expanding my work inspiring genealogists and family history writers by offering more personalized instruction through online courses and virtual learning experiences. 
• Making more time for personal genealogy research and for enjoying life.

See you later, 2015. I am so ready to start choosing myself in 2016!


©2015, copyright Lisa A. Alzo. All rights reserved.

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