So it’s another new year, this one is 2019.  I’ve finally gotten around to blogging my goals and resolutions by the tenth of January, proving I’m really revved up about the new year as 2018 was very sketchy at best.  Our immediate family experienced a death, a cancer diagnosis, a bad college experience, a high school graduation, a difficult high school transition and a court appearance.

On the plus side, there was the Christmas in New England, the Shamrock Shuffle 8k, and family time.  My wife and I celebrated our 24th wedding anniversary.

2019 will be a year of transitions and transformations as well.  My goals and resolutions are equated to the freedom to pursue my individual wants and needs.  While personal, each holds its own motivations and factors.  Firstly, the weight of the world on my shoulders has been somewhat lifted, as I’ve been given an opportunity, a chance to really proceed down a path I want to travel.

I had been working for my wife’s business since early 2017 after losing my corporate position to a computer, and it wasn’t an easy transition.  It reminded me of when we were first married and decided we should buy a home.  We found that all the realtors we worked with, none of them could fulfill our dream home needs.  So, I went and got my realtors license with the explicit desire to satisfy one client. My wife.  After she fired me for the third time, or maybe I fired her, we found our home.  Working for my wife and her business twenty plus years later, things really hadn’t changed.

Now I’m sitting solid in my middle years and there are several things I had to admit to myself.  First, I have to admit and accept that I am in my middle years.  Although I’m ten years from retirement, I need two more years of freelance earnings to be vested for retirement health benefits from my union.

So, 2019 has come and I must get those retirement benefits vested as soon as possible before the rules change.  My wife and I came to agreement that I cannot work for her company just as we couldn’t work together as realtor and client.  Also, it is irresponsible of me if I don’t qualify for those retirement benefits.  I must get vested for those retirement benefits for ourselves, for our children and for our health.

Preparing to jump back into the freelance pool with my wife’s blessings and with this specific goal is a godsend.  Her hard work, determination and success has made it so I don’t have to support the entire family. This eliminates so much pressure, guilt, stress and uncertainty as I proceed down this path towards this goal.

Jumping into what was means I need to dust off my contacts lists, update my resume and reconnect with the past.  It’s the only way forward.  It’s comforting to know that people I’ve met along the way will be there to help me, as I helped them.  I’ve always been the giver and rarely the taker.  Now, by accepting their help, it gives me the opportunity to share my humility and allows my friends to truly help someone they care about.

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog post and I wish for you all of the success, hope and dreams you can imagine.