Post Christmas

Having not written in quite some time, I find that I do not have a real theme for this post. Christmas was yesterday and today has been about recovery. Cleaning off my office desk, paying bills and taking a collective sigh that 2008 is nearly finished. It has been an interesting year. Leaving a job, starting a new company, watching a hurricane ravage our beloved coast, enduring a presidential election and watching the economy take a nose dive all have made for an eventful year. Oh--and getting engaged somewhere in between. I don't want to start making predictions for 2009 or resolutions. But, having spent some time with some folks at Schipul Marketing--the real social marketing gurus of Houston, recently--I do promise to tend to this blog. Here's why. While, I relish the thought that Oprah or some influential news source might find me pithy enough to publish, I love to write. It is a bit of a cathartic experience and sometimes I actually have things of interest to say. And, my personal brand could use a jumpstart. I tell my clients how to keep themselves top-of-mind with constituents, but rarely take my own advice. So, first resolution for 2009--listen to my own good advice. There are challenges ahead--we know that because the media reminds us daily. But, challenges do shake us up and often for the better. Like most of you, my retirement account is not looking so hot at the moment. But, as a roadside sign I saw once while traveling through Bastrop, La. said: you can not stumble over the things you put behind you. That is true. So while listening to my own advice I vow not to turn around and wonder what happened back there. Lastly, I am going to steal a mantra I read in SELF Magazine from a young woman undergoing a traumatic surgery. How hard can it be? How long can it take? I like that one a lot and hope that I can put it to good use. 2008 isn't even over and I am 3 good resolutions into 2009. It is going to be a good year.